In Alio Mundo
by applepieisworthit
Summary: In Alio Mundo - In Another World. When Sirius arrives at Godric's Hollow something stops him from running off after Peter and suffering for twelve years in Azkaban. This is the story of how Sirius and Remus come to raise Harry. Rated M for swearing and violence and possible future smut.. who knows?
1. A Betrayal

**31** **st** **October 1981  
10pm  
Peter Pettigrew's hideout**

Sirius panicked when he flew into Peter's hideout on his motorbike and found it void of anyone. His initial thought was that Peter had been found and taken away by Death Eaters; but he finally admitted to himself that this was wishful thinking when he had searched the whole building and found no evidence of any kind of struggle. It even looked like Peter had ever actually even hidden there.

His heart sunk when he suddenly realised that there could be only one reason for Peter to not be in hiding after having been made the secret keeper for Lily and James; and it was not a good reason. For months Sirius had been convinced that Remus was the traitor in The Order's midst, and now he was realising that in reality there was only one person it could be – Peter's Animagus form suddenly made much more sense to Sirius.

Sirius snarled; this explained why Peter had been whispering in his ear over the past year that Remus must be the traitor due to his lycanthropy. It had made no sense to him initially; the idea that any of The Marauders would betray each other was ludicrous to him. But the more that Remus failed to be around, the more Sirius believed that it was him betraying them.

His terror rocketed through the roof. If Peter was the betrayer, then there was every chance that he had informed Voldemort of the location of Lily and James already. Sirius closed his eyes, denial rushing through him. With his eyes still closed he focused his mind and, deciding to leave his motorbike behind due to time restrictions, apparated to Godric's Hollow – which he remembered to be the general area of the Potter's house.

 **31** **st** **October 1981  
10:45pm  
Potter Cottage – Godric's Hollow**

He cursed James' decision to locate his family in the small Potter cottage instead of the heavily fortified Potter Manor, all because the former would be 'less predictable'. He appeared in the middle of the Wizarding village, anxiously turning on his heel, willing his mind to supply the location of the Potter's home.

This turned out to be a fruitless exercise as halfway through his turn his eyes caught on the foul shape of the dark mark spread like spilled ink across the sky above a half-destroyed cottage. Sirius sucked in a harsh breath and shook his head in denial as he rushed in that direction.

His heart was pounding fiercely in his chest and his breath was coming in pants when he slid to a stop in front of the blown-out door of the previously intact cottage. "No. No no no. Oh Merlin, please no. James! Lily! Please!" Sirius was mumbling to himself as he pushed through the gap where the door used to be and into the destroyed hallway.

He turned his eyes away from the motionless body of his best friend, his brother, not wanting to admit to himself just yet that James was no longer alive. In the settling silence of the house he cautiously drew his wand. It didn't take long for him to search the downstairs and acknowledge that except for James' lifeless body, there was nothing, and no one, else down there.

A quiet sound from upstairs – audible only due to his Animagus hearing – captured his attention. He climbed the stairs quickly and quietly, hoping against hope that he wouldn't find both his godson and the woman that he had come to think of as a sister dead.

He rounded the corner into Harry's bedroom and very nearly lost the tenuous control he had on his emotions when he saw her lying on the floor. Her red hair spread around her head like a halo. Lily Potter, neé Evans, was dead. She lay prone on the floor, her hand flung out to the side where her wand lay snapped in two. Sirius blew out a harsh breath that hitched on a sob.

There beside her body lay a crumpled heap of black robes and a bone white wand. Sirius sucked in a shocked breath, were these You-Know-Who's and if so was he dead? How? And surely that would mean that his precious godson was dead too.

He readied himself to see the tiny body of his godson, building up the walls he kept around his emotions, despite knowing that they'd come tumbling down as soon as he saw Harry. His pitiful train of thought was broken with just one sound.

"Pa'foo!" It was a joyful shriek and Sirius spun on his heel, nearly tripping over himself in his haste to confirm that his mind wasn't tricking him. There, standing in his cot, black hair messy and sticking up, sticky little hands grasping onto the edge and dried tear tracks on his face, was Harry Potter.

"Hey pup." Sirius' voice croaked but he managed to summon up a relieved smile for his godson, "Come here." He reached into the cot and lifted Harry gently into his arms, making sure to angle him away from being able to see his mother or father as Sirius brought him out of the destroyed Potter cottage, stopping only to collect some essential items that Harry would need. A thought occurred to him as they left and he turned and waved his wand in a complicated pattern, whispering a spell beneath his breath.

"Pa'foo?"

"Yeah Mini-Prongs?" Sirius wrapped Harry – who was currently only dressed in his snitch covered pyjamas – in his thick cloak and cuddled him closer, trying to ward off the autumn chill.

"Where are mummy and daddy?" Harry patted a freed hand against Sirius' wet cheek, a look of confusion and childish worry in his bright green eyes.

"They're not here right now, Harry. They've had to go away for a long time so you're going to come with Padfoot for a while okay?" Sirius prayed to Merlin and Morgana that Harry would accept that explanation for now and not cause a fuss. Harry wasn't so obliging.

"NO! I want mummy and daddy! Want Pwongs! Don't want smelly Pa'foo. MUMMY. MUMMY DADDDY!" Sirius let out a pained breath and held the squirming Harry closer as he stood in the front garden of the blown-out cottage. He threw up a muffliato and notice-me-not charm around himself and his young godson, not wanting to disturb the village any more than they'd already been disturbed.

"Harry, please. Mummy and daddy aren't coming back."

"Why! I stop being naughty Pa'foo! Mummy and daddy not want me!?" Harry's face had a surprising amount of anguish written across it as he worried himself into a fresh set of tears.

"Harry, son, look at me." Sirius waited until his godson did so before putting a large gentle hand on Harry's cheek and taking a deep breath. "Your mummy and daddy love you more than anything, but a bad man has taken them away from us. I'm sad too, but I'm afraid that they can't come back. They're dead which means that their bodies don't work anymore and they have had to leave this world." Sirius pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead, frowning to himself over the lightning bolt shaped cut that he had just noticed marring the boy's skin. He made a mental note to check it over later.

"Oh." Harry's voice was small and quiet and his tears were still spilling out of his eyes and rolling down his plump cheeks, but he had at least calmed down from the screaming, "they never coming back?"

"I'm afraid not pup."

"Are you gonna leave Pa'foo?"

"No pup. Me and Moony are going to look after you. Okay?" Sirius certainly didn't admit to Harry that he himself wasn't sure whether Remus would even give him a chance to explain.

"Okay" Harry nodded his head, and though Sirius got the impression that he still didn't really understand that Lily and James were dead and gone, he knew that Harry at least understood some of it.

There was a sudden crack of apparition down the street and Sirius' eyes widened in horror. He was glad that he and Harry were already covered with the notice-me-not and muffliato, but he still performed the disillusionment charm on them both. Sirius was relieved that he had also thought to charm a blanket in Harry's bedroom to look like Harry's body, just in case, so that the Wizarding World would believe that Harry had died and Sirius could raise Harry in peace without Dumbledore or anyone else interfering.

Just in time too, as Hagrid suddenly came lumbering around the corner, his pink umbrella in hand. Sirius frowned in confusion, knowing that Hagrid wasn't allowed to use magic, until Professor Dumbledore followed Hagrid around the corner, a serious expression on his face, though his eyes were still twinkling.

Sirius watched in silence as Hagrid disappeared into the house, Dumbledore following behind him, the twinkle in his eyes fading as he saw the state of the cottage. Sirius waited for them to come back out so that he could leave with Harry. He flinched when he heard Hagrid's howls of anguish in reaction to seeing James and Lily and had to reign in his own sorrow for Harry's sake.

Sirius stood there impatiently, anxious to get himself and Harry away from the place where their lives had changed forever. Hagrid came out of the blown-out door first, Dumbledore following after him. Both had grave looks on their faces and tears were streaming down Hagrid's face into his beard, Dumbledore put a consoling hand on Hagrid's forearm and with a tense look around the street apparated them both away.

Sirius quickly followed Dumbledore's example, apparating himself and Harry away from the hell that You-Know-Who had left, to his hideout cottage. He knew that they couldn't stay there long; everyone thought that he was the Potter's secret-keeper, so in the absence of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to blame he knew that he would be.

 **31** **st** **October 1981  
11:45pm  
Sirius Black's hideout**

He placed Harry down on his bed, casting a spell to stop the young boy from being able to crawl off the bed and with some hasty waves of his wand he gathered everything that he would need to take and shoved it all into his old Hogwarts trunk. His mind was rushing as he tried to sort everything out, and he knew that as soon as he got a chance to stop and think, everything that had happened in the last few hours would catch up with him.

He managed to gather everything in a matter of a few minutes and he was soon apparating himself and Harry to the house that his uncle Alphard had left him in Brighton, knowing it was somewhere that the Ministry wouldn't think to check for a while. He didn't bother doing anything other than dropping the trunk in the hallway, healing Harry's lightning bolt cut as best as he could, considering it was caused by a curse, and carrying a sleepy Harry to bed with him. They both soon fell into a fitful sleep.

 **1** **st** **November 1981  
4:30am  
Sirius Black's house – Brighton.**

Sirius woke up at the crack of dawn as the sun rose and started to shine a pale yellow through the east facing window in the bedroom he and Harry were in. He cursed the exhaustion that meant he hadn't closed the curtains last night and now resulted in the sun shining painfully into his eyes, making the stress caused headache he had even worse. He sat up slowly, forcing his fatigued stiff limbs to move as he pulled himself from the bed. The night before came rushing back to him and he sucked in a breath as he tried to control his emotions and remain calm for his godson, who was still fast asleep on the bed, safe due to the charms Sirius had cast last night.

Sirius headed downstairs after casting a spell to alert him if anything happened to Harry. He threw together a bowl of yoghurt and fruit that he knew Harry would eat and forced himself to eat a dry piece of toast – knowing that he couldn't stomach anything more. When Harry woke at 5am, Sirius had tidied the whole of the downstairs, trying to take his mind off Lily and James. He brought Harry downstairs, fed him breakfast and waited for the Daily Prophet that he had ordered - under a different name - to arrive.

A few hours later, after Sirius had done everything he could to amuse Harry, and had to explain four more times where mummy and daddy were, there was a screech and an owl alighted on the windowsill outside the library where Sirius and Harry were currently sitting whilst Sirius read Harry Babbity Rabbity.

He rose from the seat, opened the window and, after paying the owl, he settled back in his seat with the Daily Prophet in his hands. He swallowed hard, gathering his strength to look at the paper;

 _ **You-know-who defeated by Potter family!**_

 _Last night the cloud that has been hanging over the Wizarding world was defeated. This morning this reporter discovered that the Potter family bravely gave their lives to defeat You-Know-Who. The family, comprising James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Lily Potter, neé Evans, his muggle-born wife and their young son Harry, all died in the horrific attack that destroyed their cottage in Godric's Hollow._

 _They have been hiding under a fidelius charm for the better part of a year, hidden by secret-keeper Sirius Black, says Professor Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, first class, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Though the implication here is that Mr. Black betrayed his best friends to the Dark Lord, this reporter thinks differently._

 _There has been no sign of Black since the deaths of the Potters and when Aurors investigated his flat in London they found the place ransacked and blood belonging to Mr. Black spattered on the walls which suggests that Black was killed – an occurrence which would break the fidelius charm on the Potter's house._

 _Whilst this is all still unclear, without being able to find Mr. Black and evidence pointing to his innocence in the Potter deaths, the Ministry is holding off on any investigation._

 _There are reports that celebrations are planned across the Wizarding community as the Ministry makes mass arrests of Death Eaters. Whilst one thing is clear, the Potters have saved our community from more terror, many questions remain; what really happened to You-Know-Who? Where is Sirius Black? Did he betray the Potters to You-Know-Who?_

Sirius sat back in his seat, letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in, grateful that, though there were questions about what had happened, there was an acknowledgement that it was Voldemort's fault that they were dead. He knew that he'd have to find Peter as soon as possible to clear his name of any remaining doubts.

For now, though, Sirius left the Daily Prophet on the chair in the library, gathered all the stuff that had ended up scattered around the house, and grabbed Harry. He strapped Harry to his chest on the muggle holder he had taken from the Potter house and did his leather jacket up over the little boy. He stepped out of the front door, already disillusioned, into the cold, grey drizzle of the first of November. With a quick glance around him he apparated himself and Harry to the front stoop of the Lupin's cottage in the middle of rural Norfolk.

 **1** **st** **November 1981  
10:15am  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

He knocked anxiously on Remus' front door, his stomach twisting, knowing that Remus would assume he had betrayed Lily and James as soon as he saw Sirius standing there alive. Sirius' Animagus hearing picked up the werewolf's light footsteps heading for the front door, and he swallowed the lump in his throat uneasily.

The battered front door swung open to reveal Remus Lupin, his wand in his hand. Sirius held up his hands placatingly, "I think I've made a mistake."

 **A/N: Because I've had a couple of questions about this – I based Harry's eloquence at such a young age on the fact that I was talking that much at that age, I know that some kids definitely don't, but he's been stuck in a house with just Lily and James for ages as well so I think that would have heavily influenced how much he's able to speak – especially because both Lily and James are very intelligent and would have read to him a lot.**


	2. Convincing Remus

_Hi all! I hope you're liking the story so far. I'm now 17 chapters in and still writing furiously! I couldn't wait to update so here's chapter two :D Please let me know what you think below and if you like the story tell others about it!_

 **1st** **November 1981** **  
** **10:15am** **  
** **Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

 _He knocked anxiously on Remus' front door, his stomach twisting, knowing that Remus would assume he had betrayed Lily and James as soon as he saw Sirius standing there alive. Sirius' Animagus hearing picked up the werewolf's light footsteps heading for the front door, and he swallowed the lump in his throat uneasily._

 _The battered front door swung open to reveal Remus Lupin, his wand in his hand. Sirius held up his hands placatingly, "I think I've made a mistake."_

Remus' eyes widened and he snarled at Sirius, "Yo- A- How dare you, Black!" Sirius tried to hide the flinch that Remus calling him Black caused, "PRONGS AND LILY ARE DEAD, YOU TRAITOR!" Remus bellowed the last bit, tears shining in his furious eyes. Remus' wand was pointed in Sirius' face and Sirius resisted the urge to throw himself at Remus' feet and beg for forgiveness; he had indirectly caused James and Lily's deaths after all.

"N- I- No! It was Peter! He was the secret keeper! We changed it last minute." Sirius prayed to Merlin that Remus would believe him.

"What?!" Remus spat, still clearly furious.

"It was a bluff, but Peter was the spy," Sirius tried not to stumble over his words in his haste to explain himself to his only friend left in the world, "I went to his hiding place last night, it was empty, no signs of a fight. Remus, please, I need your help!"

Remus frowned in confusion at Sirius, "If that isn't the mistake… what have you done?"

"I'v- I've kidnapped Harry," Sirius said awkwardly, opening his leather jacket to reveal Harry strapped to his chest. Remus' eyebrows shot up and he stared at Sirius for a moment before reluctantly inviting the man inside.

"Sit down," Remus gestured to the small, threadbare couch in the living room, "and tell me everything. Like why the hell you didn't trust me, Sirius!" Sirius flinched and took a seat inelegantly, careful to not wake his sleeping godson in his arms.

"Remus… I'm so sorry! I thought you were the traitor," Sirius held up a hand to stop Remus as he furiously opened his mouth to retort, "Please, Remus, let me get this out." Remus obliged and took a seat on the armchair near the sofa, "Pettigrew has been feeding me lies for the last year, pointing out how odd it was that you were missing out on Order meetings and not showing up to see any of us. At first, I didn't believe him, why would you betray The Marauders after all? But then, the more you were vague about where you'd been and couldn't make it to see anyone anymore, the more Pettigrew's theories that you were the one betraying us to Voldemort made sense. I didn't want to believe it, I'm so sorry Remus. Of course, now I know that Pettigrew was only telling me those things because he was the traitor and he wanted to shift suspicion off himself." Sirius dropped his head into his hands, tears sliding down his face, not wanting to see Remus' angry face.

There was a frustrated sigh from Remus' direction, "You _know_ me, Sirius! I was doing missions for The Order. I told you that _so_ many times, how could you not believe me?!"

"I know, Remus, I'm so sorry. I know nothing I say will make this better, but you have to know that I'm sorry."

"Is that why you didn't tell me you'd switched secret keepers?" Remus asked sharply, a sadly resigned look in his eyes when Sirius finally looked up. He hated being the one that put that look there, hated being the one that made Remus doubt himself.

"No, well yes, but it's different." Sirius admitted, muttering it so quietly that if Remus wasn't a werewolf he never would have heard what Sirius said.

"How?"

"It's not that I didn't tell you we switched secret keepers, it's more that we switched secret keepers because you were there when I became secret keeper."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, his eyes shuttered like he already knew what Sirius was going to say.

"You were there when we swore me in as secret keeper, yes?" Remus nodded, he was the one that had cast the spell after all, "Well I was doubtful about your loyalty to The Order, so I convinced Lily and James to switch to Peter without letting you know. I thought that if you were the traitor then you would be so easily able to take me to You-Know-Who."

Remus sighed, an angry, yet resigned, noise. He rose from his seat, pacing back and forth in the living room, "How am I supposed to know that you're telling the truth, Sirius? How do I know that you weren't the secret keeper, and you haven't kidnapped Harry to bring him to Voldemort?"

Sirius pushed down the hurt at the accusation, knowing it was a fair question, and that he had thought much worse about Remus, "Because I came to you, Moons. Why would I come to you if I had plans to turn Harry over to You-Know-Who?"

"I don't know." Remus sighed again, like he didn't want to believe Sirius so easily, but was desperate that he wouldn't lose another friend so soon. "Prove it to me, Sirius."

"How?"

"I have a pensieve," Remus stormed out of the room, ignoring the warning voice in his head that told him not to leave Sirius alone in the living room, wanting so badly to believe that Sirius was telling the truth.

He took a minute to breathe when he reached his bedroom, sitting down on the edge of his bed and putting his head in his hands as he let his brain roll over the horrors of the last night; he had destroyed his kitchen this morning when he'd read the news in the Daily Prophet, especially when he'd read about- his thoughts stopped dead as he suddenly remembered that Harry was supposedly dead. If that was true, then _how the fuck_ was he alive and strapped to Sirius' chest in the other room?! He jumped up off his bed and, grabbing the pensieve off his chest of drawers, stormed back into the living room.

"How the hell is Harry alive, Sirius?" Remus demanded, his wand pulled on his best(?) friend again. Sirius threw his hands up when Remus pointed his wand at his head, careful to not point it anywhere near supposed-Harry.

"He was never dead, Remus. When I arrived Voldemort's cloak was in a heap on the floor and Harry was perfectly alive in his cot, the only harm to him was the lightning bolt cut on his forehead-"

"The lightning bolt cut?!" Remus interrupted Sirius. Sirius slowly stood up and turned at an angle so that Remus could see the mostly healed cut on Harry's forehead. "Why does it look like that Sirius? Why haven't you healed it properly?"

"It's a cursed cut, it wouldn't heal any more than that." Sirius said tersely, upset colouring his tone, "I transfigured a blanket in Harry's bedroom to look like his dead body and then left, I didn't want to leave Harry in Dumbledore's hands to do as he would, you know that Dumbledore would send Harry to Lily's awful relatives!"

Remus admitted that Sirius was right, before placing the pensieve down between them both on the coffee table. Sirius didn't even hesitate before lifting his wand to his forehead and drawing forth a pale silvery-blue strand – his memories of the night that they changed secret keepers; the night that changed their lives forever. Remus also insisted that Sirius show him proof that Harry was alive when he arrived at the cottage.

He let the silvery strand of his memories drop into the pensieve and drew another two out before gesturing to Remus to enter them. When Remus turned an inquisitive look on Sirius, he shook his head – he didn't want to relive that moment, or see Peter again.

Remus nodded at Sirius, bent over the pensieve, and dipped his face into the swirling liquid. The world around him warbled and disappeared and then he was in the Potter's living room. James and Sirius were standing and arguing in the middle of the room, chests pressed together, whilst Lily watched from the sofa, a scowl on her pretty face.

"We trusted _you_ Pads! Why is that so wrong!?"

"Because it's going to get you killed Prongs!"

"What do you mean?!"

"I mean I'm too obvious! Every Death Eater around knows that you're like a brother to me! They'll come straight after me to get to you when they realise they can't find you anywhere!"

"You won't give us up though Pads!"

"I KNOW THAT!" Sirius exploded, turning angrily away from the rest of the room, though Remus could still see the anguish on his face from the angle he was standing at.

"Then why are you trying to change who our secret keeper is?!" James shouted right back.

"Because EVERYONE knows that! The Death Eaters know I won't ever give you up _Prongs!_ They'd kill me to get to you and then the Fidelius charm would end! Then you'd be exposed! Someone else that they're less likely to expect would be better! Please!" Sirius dropped onto the sofa next to Lily, exhausted. She sent him an exasperated but understanding look, before speaking up.

"Remus? He's who I'd trust next after you, Sirius, and he's already in hiding, so they won't find him easily." Lily smiled sadly, and the three Marauders in the room knew she was wishing that it could be her dead best friend, Marlene McKinnon, who could help them.

"I agree with Lily, Pads. Remus would never give us up."

"NO!" Sirius burst out, anguish and fury writ across his face.

James frowned at Sirius, "Pads we've been over this! Remus would never betray us! He's Moony for Circe's sake!"

"How do you know that Prongs! He's been so vacant for the last year, barely even around! He even nearly missed Harry's birth! He's a werewolf!" Remus recoiled painfully back and nearly tumbled out of the memory at the venom in Sirius' voice, dread spreading through his body.

"DON'T YOU DARE SIRIUS BLACK!" Sirius flinched back from Lily as she jumped up from the sofa beside him, fury in every line of her body. "You have _never_ judged him for his condition so don't you fucking _dare_ start to now! His being a werewolf makes no difference and you know it doesn't! You're suspicious and looking for someone to blame. We're all suspicious, but now is not the time to turn on our friends just because they are rarely around! Remus is doing missions for Dumbledore! YOU KNOW THAT HE IS!"

Sirius nodded miserably, though Remus could tell that he didn't necessarily agree with what Lily was saying. Lily turned on her heel, red hair flowing out behind her like a curtain as she spun to leave the room, only sending a pointed look back at her husband as she left.

"Padfoot-"

"Prongs, please don't."

"That was too far, mate. You know it was. How would Remus feel if he knew that you'd said that about him? We became animals to help him with the full moons, admit that you don't care about the werewolf thing!"

"I don't."

"Then what the hell? If you so desperately don't want to be our secret keeper, then why the hell can't Remus be?"

"I just- please Prongs. Choose Peter, you know he'd be the least obvious choice! There's no way that the Death Eaters would even try to recruit or attack Wormtail. You _know_ that the Death Eaters will have approached Lupin because he's a werewolf, and even if he isn't the traitor," Sirius' voice betrayed his scepticism in that comment, "then the Death Eaters know of him."

James was still frowning irritably at the split between his closest friends, but he nodded reluctantly, admitting that Sirius' logic about Peter was sound. Sirius relaxed back into the sofa cushions, looking relieved. Silver filled the edges of Remus' vision, swirled up around him, and the scene changed.

Peter, Lily and James stood in the middle of the Potter's living room now, arms linked in a triangle shape. Sirius stood over them waving in his wand in a complicated pattern and reciting Latin that took Remus a few moments to translate.

"Non indicavi cuiquam quid tu mihi adsentiare ego ostendam tibi?" Sirius intoned, a serious look on his face that Remus had only seen once before when Dorea and Charlus Potter died. Remus used his rather extensive Latin knowledge to translate as Sirius spoke, _do you agree to never reveal to anyone what I am about to reveal to you?_

"Ego conveniunt." Peter replied. Remus could see the nervous looks on James and Lily's faces; the doubt that Peter would be able to do the job was clear to Remus. _I agree._

"Convenerunt concorditer vitam tuendam tibi hic manendum?" As Sirius spoke gold strands flew from his wand and wove themselves around the linked hands of Lily, James and Peter _. Do you agree to protect the lives of those gathered here tonight?_

"Ego conveniunt."

James shifted nervously when the gold strands started enfolding Peter as he made his promises. Sirius spoke again.

"Libenter hoc et hoc votum ut fidelius lepore custode secretum?" Silvery strands started to enfold Peter too. _And will you willingly take this vow to be the secret keeper under this fidelius charm?_

"Ego conveniunt."

"Sic enim dictum est sic erit." Peter was enfolded in the entwined gold and silver strands now, his part of the spell finished. _So, it is said, so it shall be._ Sirius turned to James and Lily now for the second part of the spell.

"Custodem huius concubitusque tuos furtim esse confidis?" This time pale blue strands wove themselves around Lily and James as Sirius spoke. _Do you trust this man to be your secret keeper?_

James and Lily responded together, "Facimus." _We do._

"Quid fidelius lepore consentiunt, uno teneri ad locum tuum usque adhuc sciente se conspiciatur?" He asked next, red strands flowing from his wand and engulfing James and Lily. _Do you consent to be held under the fidelius charm with only one person knowing of your location until further notice?_

"Facimus."

"Eaque re concordant cum vestri locus est cognitio nisi forte ab omnibus vobis memoriam Peter Pettigrew?" Sirius said the last words of the spell with a flourish, the blue, red, gold, and silver strands whirling together, coalescing and creating a bubble of magic around Lily, James and Peter as the spell was completed with James and Lily's final consent. _Do you agree when this spell is over the knowledge of your location will be removed from the memories of everyone except for yourselves and Peter Pettigrew?_

"Facimus."

With their final agreement, the magic moved in a swirl to merge around their hands. Sirius drew his wand back and finished the spell by speaking the location of the Potters so that it was removed from his mind, "The Potters live at Potter Cottage, The Street, Godric's Hollow."

The memory ended, and Remus was pulled into Sirius' memory of finding Harry. The werewolf couldn't stop the tears that sprung to his eyes as the events that had happened in Potter Cottage only last night formed around him. He was thrown out of the pensieve after the last memory ended, tears creating tracks down his face. Sirius was sitting on the same chair he had been when Remus had gone into the pensieve, looking guilty.

"I'm so sorry, Remus. Please forgive me, I never meant to imply that being a werewolf was bad." Sirius stood up quickly, approaching Remus tentatively, "Moony, please. I'm so so sorry."

Remus let out an angry sob but pulled Sirius into his arms tightly, careful of Harry in Sirius' arms. "I'm sorry too, Sirius. Of course, you can stay here. I'll help with Harry."

Sirius breathed out harshly as tears rolled down his face, burying his head in Remus' shoulder and taking solace in his best friend's presence. "I want to kill him, Moony." Remus didn't bother asking who Sirius was talking about as he felt the same.

"Me too, Pads."

Their reunion was interrupted by a heavy, but brisk, knock on Remus' front door and a booming voice shouting, "Mr Remus Lupin, please open the door! It's the Aurors. We have some questions to ask you!"


	3. The Aurors

**_A/N: I'm so glad that people seem to be liking this story! Let me know what you think about where the story is going!_**

 _Their proper reunion was interrupted by a heavy, but brisk, knock on Remus' front door and a booming voice, shouting; "Remus Lupin open the door! It's the Aurors, we have some questions to ask you!"_

 **1** **st** **November 1981  
11:40am  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

Sirius froze in Remus' embrace. They both pulled back to look at each other with horror on their faces. "What the fuck do we do, Moony?!"

"Fuck!" Remus said emphatically, but quietly.

"Mr. Lupin! Please open your door!"

"Remus! Moony! What do we do?!" Sirius was starting to panic now, holding Harry closer to him to protect the sleeping boy. "They'll arrest me for being an accomplice in James and Lily's deaths! We won't be able to prove anything without Peter!"

Remus wracked his brain, trying to come up with a solution to their rather immediate problem. He and Sirius both stared at each other in panicked silence for a few seconds before Remus suddenly smacked himself on the forehead. Sirius looked startled and slightly worried for his best friend.

"Moony?"

"We're so stupid, Pads!" Sirius frowned at Remus, still not understanding.

"What?"

"Transform, Pads!"

"What!"

"Transform into Padfoot! They'll think you're just a dog – you're not registered!"

Sirius eyes widened and he nearly slapped himself for not thinking of it, "What about Harry though? How are we meant to hide him? He's supposed to be dead!" Sirius' voice was rising with his panic.

"Shhh!"

"Mr. Lupin, if you're in there we need to talk to you! You have five minutes to comply or we are coming in!" The voice shouted from behind the door again.

"Moony, what the fuck do we do about Harry?!"

"Do you have James' cloak?"

"His cloak?" Sirius looked confused again, and Remus cursed how his best friend's brain often switched off in moments of panic.

"The invisibility cloak!"

"Shit!"

Remus looked confused at Sirius' exclamation.

"What?"

"Prongs gave it to Dumbledore to look over." It took Sirius a lot of willpower to not flinch at the thought of James. He still hadn't had any time to grieve. "We're gonna have to get it back for Harry when my name is cleared."

"Well, fuck."

"Disillusionment?"

"They'll probably perform _homenum revelio_ , Padfoot. They'll be looking for you, you won't show up if you're in Animagus form but Harry will show up so we can't hide him anywhere and we haven't got long enough to contact someone we trust."

"Well what the hell do we do then?"

"We could transfigure him?" Remus was very reluctant to say it, knowing how protective Sirius was – Remus couldn't say that he was any less protective himself and the very idea of the possibility that they wouldn't be able to transfigure Harry back made him feel sick.

"What! No! We can't! Remus what if we can't get him back?"

"Sirius! What else can we do? I can't think of anything else, and neither can you! You're better than me at transfiguration, Sirius. Turn him into a hamster or something. I have a cage I can put him whilst they are here. If he's an animal, they won't be able to detect him." Sirius was shaking his head, looking angry at Remus' suggestion, and outraged that Remus would ever advocate for it. "I don't like it _any more_ than you do, Padfoot!"

"Then why are you suggesting it!?"

"Because we have no other options! Do you really think I would suggest this if there was any other way?!"

"Remus-"

"Sirius, you have to do it now! We've only got about thirty seconds until they come through that door and arrest you for consorting with Voldemort – whether you have a dark mark or not! You probably wouldn't even get a trial!"

"Fine!" Sirius drew his wand and, with a nervous swallow, waved it in a complicated pattern over Harry. In front of Sirius and Remus' nervous eyes, Harry transformed into a small hamster, still asleep and unaware. Sirius took a deep breath and stared at the hamster form of his godson with trepidation whilst Remus summoned the cage from the attic.

Remus carefully placed Harry in the cage as Sirius transformed down into Padfoot. He gave a yip and curled up on the chair he had been sitting on before in human form, trying to make himself as unthreatening as possible.

"Mr. Remus Lupin, if you don't open the door now we will be forced to come in without your permission!" The voice announced again. Remus started and then hurried towards the front door, yanking it open just as the man at the head of the small team of Aurors lifted his wand to _alohomora_ the door.

"Sorry about that, Auror-"

"Scrimgeour. Auror Scrimgeour. You took a long time getting to the door, Mr. Lupin."

"Sorry, I was in the bathroom, couldn't exactly get up with my trousers around my ankles could I now, Auror Scrimgeour." Remus snapped waspishly, sarcasm colouring every part of his tone.

Scrimgeour frowned, but didn't comment on the rudeness, "We have some questions to ask you about the Potter's deaths, Mr. Lupin. Can we come in?"

Remus got the distinct impression that even if he said no to the question the Aurors would come in. So, he gestured graciously for them to come in. He recognised a couple of the Aurors, Savage and Proudfoot, as two of the Aurors who had come to take him to be registered after he was bitten. John Dawlish and Maroculus Fawley followed the others in and shut Remus' front door behind them.

Remus thought it was a bit ridiculous that there were so many Aurors just to question him, but then he was a werewolf, considered one of the most dangerous beasts by the Ministry and Wizarding World at large.

"That's a grim!" Dawlish exclaimed in horror, looking at Sirius lying on the chair. Remus rolled his eyes.

"He's not a grim. He's my dog, he's called Snuffles." Remus tried not to smirk at Sirius' indignant huff.

"It doesn't matter, it's just a dog." Scrimgeour took a seat in the other chair, and gestured to the sofa he was now sitting opposite. "Take a seat, Mr. Lupin, this shouldn't take long if you answer our questions truthfully." The other Aurors ranged themselves around the room, hands resting lightly on their wands. Dawlish hovered by the chair Sirius was on, trying to get the dog to move, Sirius just growled warningly at him.

Remus rolled his eyes, "Snuffles, come here." Remus gestured to the sofa beside him, hoping that for once Sirius would cooperate. Said man/dog huffed again and jumped down from the chair to trot over and flop onto the sofa, his large head dropping into Remus' lap. Remus knew that to the Aurors in the room that wouldn't really mean anything but Sirius meant it as an explicit threat; if they tried anything then Sirius wouldn't hesitate to protect Remus or currently-a-hamster Harry.

Dawlish took the seat that Sirius had relinquished, relaxing back into it with smug satisfaction.

"Right, it's just a few questions," Scrimgeour started in his Irish drawl, "We need to make sure that you have no affiliation to You-Know-Who or the Death Eaters."

Remus sighed angrily but nodded his assent for him to ask questions, "Will you be using veritaserum to interrogate me then?"

"Now, Mr. Lupin, we won't be needing that, will we?"

Remus shrugged, "Well, that's up to you isn't it."

"Mr. Lupin, where were you on the evening of the 31st October 1981?"

"I was here. By myself." Remus admitted, worried about how bad this interrogation had the possibility to go.

"No alibi then?"

"No."

The interrogation went on for almost two hours, during which Remus was sure that they had repeated some of the questions at least three times. He was confused, the Daily Prophet had suggested that Sirius was innocent of the crimes Remus had accused him of just this morning (something that Remus had been furious about when he first read the article). Why the hell were the Aurors interrogating him so much – with so many questions revolving around Sirius – when they apparently thought that Sirius had been killed by Death Eaters.

He asked as much when the 'interview' finally seemed to be winding down, "Why are you conducting an investigation into Black? The Prophet said this morning that you weren't going to."

"The Prophet was wrong," Dawlish snapped, "He was the Potter's secret keeper, everyone knows that." Sirius huffed; this was why he had insisted on the swap. "And if he was the secret keeper, he must have been in league with You-Know-Who and just staged his attack."

"But they found Black's blood at his hide-out?"

"It wasn't his blood, it-"

"That is enough, Dawlish. You will stop revealing information to the civilian." Scrimgeour grimaced at Remus, in what Remus supposed was meant to be a kind smile. "We are done with our questions for now, Mr. Lupin. But we do need to search your home before we leave."

Remus nodded and gave them leave to do so. In all appearances, he had nothing to hide. The first thing that Scrimgeour did was cast _homenum revelio_ , so Remus was incredibly glad that they had done what they could to counteract that. Six balls of light rose from Scrimgeour's wand and travelled to the only apparent humans in the house. Scrimgeour frowned disappointedly, before disappearing off with the other Aurors – except Fawley, whom they left with Remus – to investigate the rest of the small cottage.

"Sorry about this, Lupin." Maroculus Fawley spoke into the silence.

"It's alright, Fawley. I was expecting it to happen at some point. They were my best friends after all." Remus grimaced sadly, only glad that not as many of them were dead as Maroculus thought. Said Auror was a part of The Order and had been friendly with all The Marauders.

"I'm sorry, Lupin, mate. They didn't deserve any of it to happen to them." Maroculus fidgeted for a moment as they listened to the rest of the Aurors investigate Remus' house rather vigorously. He turned back to Remus with a hesitant look on his face, "Where is Pettigrew, Lupin? He's disappeared too, but no one seems to be worried about that at all, or think it's relevant. Everyone forgets about him. Do you think that Black is responsible? I saw how close he and Potter were, like brothers."

Remus blinked against the sudden onslaught of questions from Maroculus. He stared at the man for a second, doubt in his eyes as he tried to decide whether to trust Maroculus, he had been a good friend and ally in The Order and Remus knew he was a good man. Sirius barked in his lap and Remus looked down at him, seeing his agreement to tell Maroculus in his eyes.

"I don't know where Pettigrew is, Fawley, but Sirius isn't responsible. They changed secret keepers a few days before and Pettigrew betrayed the Potters to You-Know-Who, it was all his fault. When I find Pettigrew, I will drag him to the Wizengamot and force them to give him a trial and clear Sirius' name." As Remus spoke Maroculus' eyes grew wide with surprise.

"Really? Is that all true?!"

"Every word, I promise, Fawley."

"Do you have any proof, besides Pettigrew?"

"Sirius' memories, but they won't be admitted in the Wizengamot, as an Auror you would know that, wouldn't you?"

Maroculus sighed angrily, Remus knew that it wasn't at him, but at their incredibly flawed law system. "No, they won't. They're not very good with that kind of stuff." Maroculus chuckled, but it was a humourless, irritated chuckle. Remus was surprised that Maroculus has so easily believed him, he knew that hardly any of the rest of The Order would so quickly believe, especially the Weasleys and anyone else closely under Dumbledore's thumb.

Before they could talk anymore Scrimgeour and the rest of the team of Aurors entered the room. On Remus' lap Sirius growled at them for interrupting an interesting conversation with a possible ally.

"We have found nothing, Mr. Lupin, so for now we will count you out as an ally of the Death Eaters. We will be keeping an eye on you, however." Scrimgeour announced. Remus nodded reluctantly, wondering how the fuck he was meant to hunt for Pettigrew with the Aurors on his back.

The Aurors finally left, three hours after they had first arrived. Maroculus was the last one out of the door, and he handed Remus a folded-up piece of parchment as he left.

"Stay in touch, Lupin."

When the house was finally empty, and the Aurors had all apparated away with sharp cracks, Sirius immediately shifted back to his human form and hurried over to the cage containing the still sleeping form of his godson as a hamster.

He lifted the lid and carefully pulled Harry out of the cage, with a complicated wave of his wand and an utterance of the same spell as before, Harry was once again a one-and-a-bit-year old boy in Sirius' arms. Both Marauders let out a great sigh, and collapsed on Remus' chairs in relief.

"You need to blood adopt him, Pads."

"I know." Sirius sighed, staring down lovingly at his godson, "I don't want to yet."

"He can't be Harry Potter anymore. Harry Potter has to have died with his parents, Padfoot. You know what kind of expectations will be placed on him by our world if he stays as Harry."

"They'll be lost forever, Moony. If I do this, he will look like me, have my DNA, my blood, everything. He'll be a Pureblooded Black. There will be no traits of James or Lily left, and I don't know if I can live with that thought." Remus sighed sadly, the same thoughts had dawned on him, after all. He pulled an unresisting Sirius into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I know, mate. But you've got to."

Sirius sucked in a breath to steady himself, "Yeah. Right. Let's make the potion."


	4. Alphard James Black

**1** **st** **November 1981  
3pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

" _You need to blood adopt him, Pads."_

" _I know." Sirius sighed, staring down lovingly at his godson, "I don't want to yet."_

" _He can't be Harry Potter anymore. Harry Potter has to have died with his parents, Padfoot. You know what kind of expectations will be placed on him by our world if he stays as Harry."_

" _They'll be lost forever, Moony. If I do this, he will look like me, have my DNA, my blood, everything. He'll be a Pureblooded Black. There will be no traits of James or Lily left, and I don't know if I can live with that thought." Remus sighed sadly, the same thoughts had dawned on him, after all. He pulled an unresisting Sirius into his arms and hugged him tightly._

" _I know, mate. But you've got to."_

 _Sirius sucked in a breath to steady himself, "Yeah. Right. Let's make the potion."_

 **3** **rd** **November 1981  
9am  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

"Do you have everything?" Remus asked, sitting on the other side of the room from where Sirius was gathering together the ingredients for the blood adoption potion for Harry. Remus could barely stand to be in the same room with his sensitive sense of smell, but he sat there anyway keeping Sirius company and entertaining Harry.

Remus wouldn't admit to himself, and certainly never to Sirius, that he was watching Sirius; wary of another breakdown. Two days ago, not long after the Aurors had left, when Harry was finally asleep in a cot in the spare bedroom he and Sirius would be sharing, Sirius had finally acknowledged to himself what had happened to James and Lily and had crumpled into a heap in the middle of Remus' kitchen, sobbing. It had taken Remus three hours to calm Sirius down, and that was only after spending an hour himself trying to deal with his own breakdown. The two of them had spent the rest of the night reminiscing about Prongs. They had been on eggshells since, both afraid that they would set each other off again.

Remus knew it had to stop but that meant having a serious, adult conversation with Sirius about the fact that James and Lily were gone forever, and neither of them were ready for that. Remus didn't think they'd be ready for that until Peter was behind bars, but at least Sirius' breakdown had taken down all of the walls they had built up around the other ever since Sirius started suspecting Remus. The paranoia from the war wasn't gone, but the wariness around each other was.

"Finally, yes." Sirius responded, not looking up from cataloguing the ingredients. He was singularly focused on the potion, which Remus had to admit he found a bit odd, seeing Sirius so focused. "It's going to take about a month to make, just like the polyjuice potion considering some of it is so similar, and then I can give it to Harry."

Said boy was quietly playing with magical building blocks that changed colour with just a touch. Remus and Sirius alike were worried about how quiet Harry had been since his parents' deaths. The usually loud and boisterous child had become more and more withdrawn each time he was told that mummy and daddy wouldn't be coming back. Sirius knew he'd need to cheer him up soon, but for now he was too focused on making sure that Harry was safe to be able to worry about how happy Harry was.

"Why so long?" Remus asked.

"Don't know, just seems to be a long bloody potion to make. Couldn't be easy, could it?" Sirius said sarcastically.

As Sirius started the potion off, Remus took Harry into the kitchen to start breakfast (and get away from the horrible smell of the potions ingredients). "What do you want for breakfast, mini-Prongs?" The name hurt to use, but it made Harry happy so Remus carried on anyway.

Harry scrunched up his face, thinking very hard. His eyes popped open and he shouted "Muffin!"

From Sirius' direction Remus heard a faint swear and then Sirius was rushing into the kitchen, holding his index finger, which was bleeding sluggishly.

"What the hell happened, Padfoot?"

"Harry surprised me, and I cut myself." Sirius muttered as he ran his finger under the tap to wash away the blood, before grabbing some dittany and quickly applying it on the shallow cut. Remus snorted in amusement, rummaging through the cupboard beside the old cooker to find the muffins he was sure he had somewhere.

"Pa'foo! Why Pa'foo hurt?" Harry squealed from his seat on the highchair in the kitchen.

"Don't worry, mini-Prongs. I cut myself, but it's all better now, see?" Sirius held his previously injured finger out to Harry, who grabbed the digit and pulled it close to his face, squinting at it.

"Yay! Moony! Pa'foo not hurt anymore!"

Remus straightened up triumphantly with a package of muffins in his hands, "Isn't hurt, Harry, not 'not hurt'. And yes, it's very good that Padfoot isn't hurt anymore."

"Isn't hurt! Patfoot isn't hurt 'nymore!" Harry exclaimed, trying to emulate Remus. Said man burst out laughing and raised an eyebrow at Sirius who looked disgruntled at being called Patfoot.

"Exactly, mini-Prongs! Very right." Harry grinned up at Remus, who smiled back happily. Sirius left the room, muttering about being called stupid names (Remus didn't point out to Sirius that Padfoot was a ridiculous name regardless of whether Harry pronounced it wrong or not), and Remus turned to the toaster, putting in the muffin halves and pushing the lever down. Sirius had found the muggle contraption very odd when he'd first seen it in Remus' kitchen, but Remus' mother had been a muggle so the werewolf was used to using muggle appliances as well as magic.

Harry babbled happily at the table as Remus busied himself buttering the muffin halves and cutting them into smaller pieces. The domesticity of the situation wasn't lost on Remus and it hurt to think that Harry would never again experience it with Lily or James. He took a seat at the small dining table where Harry was seated, placing the food in front of the young boy and tucking into his own muffin as Harry started eating.

Sirius came sauntering in from the other room, potions fumes clinging to him. He took a seat across the table from Remus, raising an eyebrow at the werewolf when he gagged at the strong smell lingering around the Animagus.

"Merlin, Sirius. Go have a shower!"

"Can't, Moony, much too hungry." Sirius spoke around the slice of bread that he had just stuffed in his mouth. Remus rolled his eyes, but didn't comment on his friend's gross mannerisms.

"Patfoot! We play in the garden?!" Harry demanded, turning in his seat to stare at Sirius with large, pleading emerald eyes. Sirius nearly melted before remembering that he and Remus had agreed that Harry shouldn't go outside until he no longer looked like Harry Potter.

"Not today, mini-Prongs. We can go play in our bedroom, yeah?" Harry pouted at Sirius, but nodded anyway.

"I'll take him up, Padfoot. You need to have a shower first." Sirius snorted but followed Remus' instructions, heading for the bathroom as Remus carried an unresisting Harry into the spare bedroom. Remus rolled his eyes at the mess of clothes and toys on the floor, tidying away anything that Harry wasn't about to play with.

 **6** **th** **November 1981  
9:30pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

"We need to send Harr-Alphard's new birth certificate off to Maroculus so he can slip it into the Department of Records without anyone knowing that it wasn't there before. The Hogwarts records will update as soon as we do that." Remus spoke up. He and Sirius had been sitting in silence for the last few hours since Harry went to bed and the thought had just occurred to Remus.

It had been a hard decision to blood adopt Harry, but it was an even harder one to change his name. Sirius and Remus had had an intense argument about it that lasted over two hours but in the end Sirius had admitted that Remus was right and that there was no way that they could get away with keeping him called Harry and just changing his surname to Black.

For the last two days Remus and Sirius had been making sure to tell Harry that his new name was Alphard, named for Sirius' kind uncle. Harry had been quite confused at first, but the excitement of a change had eventually overcome that and he was soon just thrilled to have a new name. Sirius and Remus had both agreed that there was no way they could change Harry's middle name, so once Harry had taken the blood adoption potion he would be Alphard James Black. Luckily, they had a month to get Harry used to the change.

Sirius nodded and lazily _accioed_ the new birth certificate to himself, he looked down at the name scrawled across the top and winced, still not used to the fact that Harry Potter was about to be no more. "What are we going to do about putting a mother's name?" He asked casually, tilting the birth certificate towards Remus so that he could see the empty space left on the parchment.

"Shit!"

"Didn't think of that, did you?"

"No, I fucking didn't. What the hell do we do about that?"

"Well I don't bloody know, Moony."

"You got any distant cousins in France who are dead?" Remus asked with a concealed mischievous grin.

"Mate! What the fuck!" Sirius turned from the birth certificate and looked at Remus incredulously.

"Well it worked for your parents," Remus said with a smirk.

"Urgh!" Sirius wrinkled his nose and shuddered at the thought. A fact of being a Pureblood, and a Black, unfortunately meant that incest was a bit more common than anyone in the Wizarding World wanted to admit.

"Marlene?" Remus asked tentatively, knowing that the witch was a touchy subject for Sirius, who had been in an on again, off again relationship with her since sixth year until she died just over a year ago, "It would get rid of the need to explain where his mother was, and I know you've got stuff of hers somewhere – you'd definitely be able to find some DNA there to add to the potion so that Harry isn't purely yours."

Sirius sighed and nodded, "Yeah, Marlene works the best. Especially cos the rest of the McKinnons are dead too, no chance of anyone disputing it. Well, unless they know she wasn't pregnant."

"It'll be fine, Pads, everyone was too distracted by Voldemort." Sirius snorted but nodded in agreement.

Remus summoned his small owl Micro to himself with a whistle, Micro settled on Remus' outstretched arm and Sirius tied the rolled up and disguised birth certificate to Micro's leg. "Take this to Maroculus Fawley in the Ministry, Micro. Don't let anyone else see it."

The small owl gave a hoot and took off out of the open kitchen window to the ministry. Sirius stood from the couch and Remus listened as he rummaged through all his stuff upstairs. Half an hour later Sirius came bounding out the stairs and with nothing more than a "See ya, Moony!" he was out the door and apparating away to hunt through his stuff in his house for some of Marlene's DNA.

 **4** **th** **December 1981  
7pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

They had waited until just after Harry's bedtime, so that the boy was tired and would fall asleep straight after they fed him the blood adoption potion. Remus held Harry on his lap, tears trickling slowly down his face. When they finished this, Harry Potter would no longer be Harry Potter.

Sirius was storming around the room gathering everything he needed, and refusing to look at Remus or Harry, his anger at the situation they had ended up in was palpable. Remus knew exactly how he felt but he had never been as emotional or impulsive as Sirius.

Finally, Sirius sat down beside Remus on the sofa, put the phial of the potion and the knife down and pulled a sleepy Harry into his arms. He buried his face in Harry's perpetually messy hair and sobbed. He cried for his dead best friend, he cried for Lily, for the Peter he had once known, he cried for his impending loss of Harry. And Remus cried with him.

Nearly half an hour later, when Harry complained of being tired, Sirius pulled back and wiped his cheeks hastily. Harry looked confused at what had just happened but he was too tired to ask. Sirius grabbed the knife and phial off the footstool in front of the sofa and handed the phial to Remus. Remus dropped the hairs of Marlene's, that Sirius had managed to find, into the phial whilst Sirius, with a brief wince, made a shallow cut in his finger with the knife and let four drips of his blood fall into the phial in Remus' hands. The potion, a dull grey colour, flashed bright blue before settling into a pale lemon colour. Sirius nodded with satisfaction. It was ready.

"You ready?"

"No. I'm not sure if I can do this, Moony."

"I know. But we have to."

"I know." Sirius swallowed hard, looking down at the boy falling asleep in his arms.

"Do you want me to-?"

"No." Sirius interrupted, "I need to do this. I need to be the one to make him into my son."

"All right."

Sirius held his slightly shaking hand out for the phial. Remus placed it in his grip and watched as Sirius took a few deep breaths to steady himself. He reached out and gently shook Harry awake when Sirius nodded at him.

"Harry? Hey, mini-Prongs. You going to drink this for me? Then you'll become Alphard Black, okay?" Harry blinked up at Sirius sleepily before nodding his consent. Sirius put the phial in Harry's chubby hands and helped him to drink the whole of the potion down. Harry made a disgusted face, so Remus quickly helped him drink some pumpkin juice to wash down the flavour of the potion.

They waited nervously whilst Harry, now Alphard, fell asleep. When he finally drifted off properly Sirius took him to his bed and lay him down carefully. He then slumped back into the living room. Collapsing heavily onto the sofa beside Remus, he turned anxious eyes on his best friend. Remus took in a deep breath.

"Well. That's done."

"Yeah. It's weird, Moony. That kid is going to look like my son in the morning." Remus snorted and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. You with a kid, Pads. What has the world come to," Remus chuckled, not even flinching when Sirius punched him in the arm.

"Fuck you, Moony." Sirius said with a grin.

"We need to find Pettigrew." And just like that their good mood was shattered, Sirius' shoulders slumped and he sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Yeah. We do. Where the hell is he gonna be?"

"Don't know," Remus replied, with a shrug, "We're going to have to hunt until we find him."


	5. Manipulating Wizards

_**A/N: Beta'd by the lovely acciomasterofdeath (on tumblr). Thank you everyone who commented on the last chapter, it was so nice to hear all of your thoughts! I have nearly 20 chapters of this written now, so getting close to finishing it, so hopefully updates will be a bit more regular! Let me know what you guys think. As always you can contact me on tumblr at flamesburnonthemountainside**_

" _We need to find Peter." And just like that the mood was shattered, Sirius sighed and nodded._

" _Yeah. We do. Where the hell is he gonna be?"_

" _Don't know," Remus replied, with a shrug, "We're going to have to hunt until we find him."_

 **4** **th** **December 1981  
8:05pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

"Great," Sirius replied sarcastically, a petulant pout, that Remus knew much too well after ten years of friendship, forming on Sirius' lips. "I can't think of anything I want to do more."

Remus maturely chose not to comment on Sirius' childish expression, "Well, he's going to be hiding in rat form somewhere most definitely. He's probably waiting for you to come after him, considering he knows how impulsive you are."

"I'm not impulsive!" Sirius protested, looking insulted.

"Pads. You kidnapped Harry and transfigured a blanket to look like his dead body." Remus deadpanned.

"Right. Well. Fine. But if I hadn't then where would we be?"

"Didn't say it was a bad thing."

"Hmph."

"Anyway… Peter is definitely going to be hiding out in his rat form, and he's not going to be hiding out in the muggle world, you know how odd he was about muggles."

"Well, guess we know why now." Sirius snapped, anger colouring his tone. He didn't like having to talk about Peter so much. Remus snarled under his breath too, the disbelief over Peter's actions had faded a few weeks ago, and been replaced by seething rage at their ex-friend.

"We really don't want to have to go to every magic household and check for Peter."

"Do you have any ideas where he might be hiding?" Sirius asked, settling back into the chair he was sitting in and summoning two glasses and the firewhisky from the cabinet.

"With a Wizarding family, definitely." Remus responded with a sly smirk on his face. Accepting the glass of firewhisky from Sirius.

"Yeah, thanks, Moony." Sirius said sarcastically, "Devon?"

"Devon?" Remus frowned, confused.

"Yeah, in Devon? That's where he's from – you know he'd wanna stay near where he's from."

"True."

"With a Wizarding family in Devon. We need to search them, somehow, and get a list of all the Wizarding families in Devon."

"We can search with our noses, and get a list from Maroculus."

"Huh?"

"I'm a werewolf. You're a dog Animagus. We both know Pettigrew's scent pretty damn well. So, we find him with our noses."

"Go where we know Wizarding households are."

"Exactly, and then sniff him out." Remus chuckled. Sirius smirked and sniffed pointedly.

Remus rose from the sofa and headed to over to Micro, scrawling a quick note to Maroculus on a piece of parchment and then attaching it to her leg. He opened the window and she took off with a soft hoot, nipping Remus' ear lightly as she passed.

"Pretty sure your owl fancies you, Remus." Sirius snickered and made a kissy face at Remus, who scrunched up his nose and threw a rolled-up piece of parchment at Sirius' head. Sirius ducked and cackled gleefully, Remus grinned happily at the sound.

There was a sudden pop outside their front door and a loud knocking signalled someone's arrival at Remus' cottage. Sirius swallowed nervously, this was it; this was when the hunt for Peter started. Remus turned from his place by the window, exchanged glances with Sirius, and headed for the front door determinedly. He yanked it open, expecting Maroculus to be standing on the other side, he received a nasty shock when it was Albus Dumbledore instead.

"He- Headma- Headmaster! To what do I owe this pleasure?" Remus finally managed to stutter out, the distinctive smell that wafted from behind him told him that Sirius had transformed out of the headmaster's view.

"Remus, my boy. I need to talk to you about Sirius Black." Dumbledore folded his hands in front of him and smiled kindly at Remus, who could see the manipulation simmering beneath the surface in the twinkle in his eye, and was endlessly thankful that he had natural Occlumency barriers thanks to Moony.

"Sirius, headmaster? I haven't seen him for months. I thought he was missing, that's what the papers have been saying at least." Remus fibbed.

"Can I come in, dear boy? Then we can talk some more." Dumbledore made a sweeping gesture to the front hall of Remus' cottage and Remus reluctantly stepped out of the way so that Dumbledore could step in past him.

Remus swallowed nervously and closed the door behind Dumbledore. Thank god they had given Harry a sleeping potion mixed with the blood adoption potion so that Harry would look like Sirius' son if Dumbledore came across him, which was unlikely but it was much easier to explain Alphard Black than Harry Potter, and with the sleeping potion it was highly unlikely that Harry would make any noise that would alert Dumbledore to his presence.

Sirius was lounging on the sofa in Animagus form when Dumbledore entered the living room. Remus gestured kindly to one of the chairs and Dumbledore sunk into it gratefully.

"Can I get you a drink, headmaster?"

"That would be lovely, thank you, Remus. I think you may also call me Albus now that you're no longer a student at Hogwarts." Remus smiled awkwardly at Dumbledore and disappeared quickly into the kitchen to fill his muggle kettle, which he had modified to work with all the magic surrounding it, and get the mugs, sugar and milk. He didn't worry about leaving Dumbledore unattended in his living room since Padfoot would do a pretty good job of preventing Dumbledore from doing anything untoward.

When the kettle was finished, he lifted it from its base and poured the hot water over the tea bags and sugar in each mug. After letting them steep and swilling them around for a few seconds he squeezed out the teabags, took them out and added some milk to each mug. He knew it appeared an odd way to prepare tea to many half-bloods and purebloods who knew nothing about the muggle world, but his mother was a muggle and he was used to preparing tea with an electric kettle.

He floated the two mugs back into the living room beside him, directing one to settle down in front of Dumbledore and the other he plucked from the air after he had settled onto the sofa next to Sirius in dog form. He managed to control his urge to shift nervously or glance up the stairs to where Harry was, because he knew Dumbledore was watching him like a hippogriff and would notice any kind of tells that Remus may have.

"Why are you asking about Sirius, Albus? I thought he was missing?" Remus finally asked after an uncomfortable silence had built up between them. Obviously a device by Dumbledore to draw information out of Remus. As a werewolf, he could stand up much better than most people against manipulation.

"That is what the papers are saying, indeed." Dumbledore agreed with Remus. Remus clenched his teeth and tried not to snap at Dumbledore for being vague.

"Yes, and I don't see why you're coming to see me, Albus. I've already been interviewed by the Aurors, and you are just a headmaster of a school." Remus replied, not bothering to cover up the clear disdain in his voice; Dumbledore would take Harry away from him and Sirius if he knew that they had him and he was still alive, and Remus knew that he would stop at nothing to try and prove Sirius as guilty for Lily and James' deaths.

"My dear boy, I'm concerned for you. Your friends have just died, poor young Peter Pettigrew is missing and Mr. Black is under investigation by the Ministry for the deaths of Lily and James Potter."

"I know all of this, headmaster. You telling me it makes no difference." Remus took a fortifying sip of his tea and watched with hidden satisfaction as Dumbledore took a healthy gulp of his own cup of tea, "Why are you really here, headmaster?"

Remus hid his smirk as Dumbledore's eyes glazed over from the few drops of veritaserum that he had slipped into Dumbledore's cup of tea. Sirius quickly transformed back to human form and summoned a quill and parchment to take down what Dumbledore was saying – luckily the dosage of veritaserum that Remus had given Dumbledore would also act as a memory wipe and Dumbledore would only remember from before he had drunk his tea. Sirius transformed back, just in case.

"I wanted to know if you were hiding Sirius Black here."

"Why?"

"Because I know that he was the Potter's secret keeper and he is the reason they are dead. I want to get him sent to Azkaban for his role in their deaths. I also don't believe that Harry is really dead and I think that Black kidnapped him."

Remus hid his wince behind a blank façade, "Why don't you believe that Harry is dead?"

"Because Voldemort was destroyed in that house and the only way that would have happened is if Lily's love had protected Harry and the curse would have bounced off Harry and hit Voldemort."

"Why do you need Harry alive?" Remus asked angrily, trying to control his reactions to Dumbledore's explanations; everything that he said just made Remus and Sirius – who was growling steadily beside Remus now – angrier.

"There was a prophecy that was spoken to me by Trelawney regarding the boy who would defeat Voldemort. The prophecy is the reason that the Potters and Longbottoms had to go into hiding." Remus and Sirius exchanged a panicked glance – having completely forgotten about Alice and Frank who were close friends of theirs from The Order. Remus resolved to contact them as soon as Dumbledore left; the Longbottoms hadn't gone under a Fidelius, trusting the extremely tight blood wards on Longbottom Manor to protect them; something that Remus and Sirius had both thought Lily and James should do with Potter Manor.

"What exactly did the prophecy say and how did Voldemort get a hold of it?" Remus demanded, leaning forwards in his seat intently.

" _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..._ " Dumbledore quoted. Remus shivered, but carried on paying attention to Dumbledore intently, "Severus overheard the first half of the prophecy and took it Voldemort."

"Snape!" Remus exclaimed, hearing Sirius' continuing growl beside him drop an octave and the great grim rose to his feet, hackles rising. "Why the hell did you stand up for Snape after Voldemort was defeated then? But still insist that Sirius is guilty?"

"Severus came to me as soon as Voldemort declared his intent to hunt the Potters and begged for mercy and me to help him. I accepted and pardoned him for his help in the final days of the war." Dumbledore's voice was unsettlingly monotone and Remus just wanted the old man to get out and let him rest.

Slowly the fog in Dumbledore's eyes faded and he came to properly, blinking away the trance that the veritaserum had put him in, "What were you saying, my dear boy?"

"I was asking why you were here, headmaster." Remus said tightly, trying to stop the turmoil inside him from Dumbledore's answers from showing.

"I just need to know if you know where Mr. Black is, my dear Remus." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"I don't, headmaster." Remus answered tersely, tensing heavily when Dumbledore cast a _homenum revelio_. Three pale blue balls of light left Dumbledore's wand, two swirling around Remus and Dumbledore and the other heading upstairs to the bedroom where Harry was asleep.

"Is Sirius upstairs, Remus? This is all for your safety, my boy."

"No, he's not. That's Alphard."

"Alphard?"

"Sirius' son, headmaster." Remus quickly came up with a fib to tell Dumbledore, "I was looking after him when everything happened and I wasn't going to blame the son for the sins of the father."

"I did not know Sirius had a son."

"Hardly anyone did, headmaster. After Marlene, Alphard's mother, died, Sirius didn't want anyone knowing. I really think you need to leave now, please. I have things to do and I don't want to think about Lily or James right now." Remus stood from his seat – hoping that Dumbledore would accept the twisted truth about Harry – and Dumbledore followed him to his feet, seeming to accept it for now.

"Very well, Remus." Dumbledore headed for the front door and Remus decided it was probably a good idea to keep the headmaster on side for now – even if he had much too much power for a man who was supposed to be the headmaster of a school.

"Thanks for coming over, Albus. I'm sorry I was of no help. Please let me know if you have any developments regarding Sirius or Peter."

Dumbledore smiled beatifically at Remus and patted him lightly on the shoulder, "Of course, my boy. Nothing to apologise for." With that Dumbledore left and apparated away from Remus' house.

Remus let out a gusty breath and flopped back onto the sofa by a now human Sirius when he made it back to the living room. "Well, fuck."

"You said it mate. Shit."

"We need to go to Alice and Frank now, Pads. What if they're not okay?!" Remus jumped up from the sofa again, panic rushing through his body as he pulled his shoes on and yanked his outdoor robes over the top of the muggle jeans and t-shirt he was wearing. Sirius followed close behind him, yanking his motorcycle boots over his leather trousers (Remus didn't know why Sirius insisted on such uncomfortable muggle clothing) and slinging his leather jacket over his shoulders.

Just as they opened the door to apparate away to Longbottom Manor, Micro flew in through the door and alighted on Remus shoulder. Remus exchanged a glance with Sirius before reaching up and untying the scroll from her leg. Shutting the door behind them as they hurried to the desk to write a response to what was hopefully a letter from Maroculus – it was.

Beneath the curling seal of the House of Fawley, Maroculus' immaculate script (a technique every Pureblood learnt) only took up two lines; confirming that he had received Remus' missive and would be arriving tomorrow morning to discuss the 'issues that Remus had raised'.

Remus scrawled out a quick acknowledgement, confirming he would be in, and sent Micro off again with orders to deliver the letter to Maroculus and once he had read it to return home. With that finished he and Sirius rushed back out the front door, stepping out into the dark of the night and apparating away to Longbottom Manor.

 **4** **th** **December 1981  
10:45pm  
Longbottom Manor – Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire**

They arrived outside the destroyed blood wards of the Longbottom abode, and stared in horror at the blown open gates and the missing front door. The two remaining Marauders exchanged a look and prayed to Merlin, Morgana, and Circe that they wouldn't find the same situation as in Potter cottage when they entered.

They whipped out their wands and rushed up the long drive to the breached Longbottom Manor.


	6. The Longbottoms

**_A/N: Thank you everyone who commented on the last chapter! It's so motivating to know that people like this story :D I'm having a little bit of writer's block with chapter twenty, but have chapter 6 whilst I mull it over!_**

 _He and Sirius rushed back out the front door, stepping out into the dark of the night and apparating away to Longbottom Manor._

 _They arrived outside the destroyed blood wards of the Longbottom abode, and stared in horror at the blown open gates and the missing front door. The two remaining Marauders exchanged a look and prayed to Merlin, Morgana and Circe that they wouldn't find the same situation as in Potter cottage when they entered._

 _They whipped out their wands and rushed up the long drive to the breached Longbottom Manor._

 **4** **th** **December 1981  
10:45pm  
Longbottom Manor – Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire**

"What the hell's happened, Moony!?" Sirius shouted, panic making his voice high.

"I don't know! Run faster, Pads!" Remus panted, overtaking Sirius with a burst of speed and skidding in through the front door ahead of him. There was no evidence of anyone in the Manor for a few seconds and Remus and Sirius both stopped and caught their breath, using their superior canine hearing to try to work out where people were.

The silence lasted for only a moment before they both caught the high cackle of Bellatrix Lestrange. They exchanged a horror filled glance. Remus caught Sirius' arm before he could rush off and get himself killed.

"Sirius!" Remus hissed, his voice too quiet for anyone without enhanced Animagus hearing to make out, "We can't just go rushing in! We don't know how many there are and we're no use to Alice and Frank if we die. We need to call back up!"

"Who though?!" Sirius whispered back, just as panicked. "If we call back up then I'll have to be disguised."

"Fuck!" Remus swore emphatically, but quietly. He pointed his wand at Sirius and performed some complicated transfiguration that made Sirius look like a distant cousin of the Blacks.

Sirius grimaced at the feel of the transfiguration, his new brown eyes widening in sudden remembrance, "Fawley!"

"Oh, yeah!" Remus nearly smacked himself for forgetting that they had a friend in the Aurors. With quick and practiced movements, he cast the Patronus charm and directed it to fetch Maroculus and the rest of the Aurors with the message 'Frank and Alice Longbottom are under attack by Death Eaters, now! Come quickly, Longbottom Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange is here.' Sirius sent him a puzzled look at the last bit as Remus' wolf Patronus sped off into the dark night beyond, Remus shrugged, "Bellatrix is good incentive to get them here quicker."

A pained scream from deeper in the Manor had them exchanging glances and creeping quickly down the hall towards the kitchen, their wands drawn and ears pricked for any more sounds.

" _Crucio_!" The manic shout came suddenly through the door that Remus had already passed and Sirius was now standing horrified in front of. Remus summoned another Patronus quickly to inform the Aurors to apparate right into the library now that he knew where the Death Eaters had Alice and Frank.

"That's Rabastan Lestrange," Sirius whispered angrily, his different face twisted in disgust as he looked at the door.

"Are you sure?" Remus asked, trying to keep the creeping panic from overtaking his voice. Sirius nodded surely at Remus, and swore beneath his breath; Rabastan Lestrange meant Rodolphus Lestrange as well, considering the brothers never went anywhere without each other. Wands poised and bodies ready for a battle, Sirius cast a powerful _bombarda maxima_ at the library doors, which blew inwards, large heavy planks of wood going flying into the room.

To Sirius and Remus' complete amazement one piece managed to smash right into Bellatrix's forehead and knock her straight out, causing the _Crucio_ she was casting on Alice to drop. They shared quick awed looks, before turning back to survey the three other Death Eaters standing in the room at Rodolphus' angry shout.

"Who the hell are you!?" He screamed, brandishing his wand at them, the shape of _Avada Kedavra_ forming as he stormed towards them. There was a series of cracks and ten Aurors appeared around the room and had the final three Death Eaters stunned within seconds.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Sirius quipped, the adrenaline still rushing through his body making his hands shake slightly as he surveyed his cousin unconscious on the floor.

"Padfoot!" Remus shouted, already rushing towards Alice and Frank. On the way to Remus, Sirius nearly tripped over the unconscious form of Barty Crouch Jr. and he stopped for a second to stare in shock at the form of the unexpected Death Eater.

Dropping into a crouch beside Remus, Sirius passed his wand quickly over Frank's unconscious form, checking his vitals. As he worked he spoke, "Moony, Barty Crouch Jr. is over there. He's a Death Eater."

"What!" Remus exclaimed, spinning on his heel from his squatted position and nearly toppling over, "What the fuck. Seriously?"

"Yeah. It's fucked up, isn't it?" Sirius nodded, mostly focused on making sure that Frank was still alive and okay. "Deal with the Aurors, Moony. Is Fawley here?"

From his position facing the rest of the room, Remus watched the Aurors bind and silence the Death Eaters for a brief moment, before rising to speak to Maroculus who was worriedly watching Sirius and Remus hover over Frank's body – he was friends with the Longbottoms, being their fellow Auror and Order member. "Yeah, he is. I'll go speak to him."

Sirius kept muttering spells under his breath as he waved his wand over Frank, breathing out a relieved breath when he established that he was alive and appeared to have little damage from the Cruciatus – a lucky man. He quickly stabilised Frank and set him under a stasis charm until he could be taken to St. Mungo's.

Sirius thanked Morgana that he had done a year's training under Poppy Pomfrey to become proficient in basic healing – he had thought it would be useful, and considering he was rich he could afford to pay her handsomely for the teaching; which he did.

Remus meanwhile was talking with Maroculus, who had led the mission to rescue the Longbottoms – though many Aurors had been eager to volunteer as Frank and Alice had been highly respected Aurors before they went into hiding.

"Thank you for coming, Fawley."

"No problem, Lupin. Wasn't expecting it to be honest but thank Merlin they seem to be alive. Is Black a good enough healer to help them?" Maroculus asked.

Remus sent him a sharp look, his eyebrow raised as he speculated Maroculus for a second, "Yes, he is, Madam Pomfrey taught him."

"Well, he's definitely a good enough healer then," Maroculus chuckled.

"How do you know it's Sirius, Fawley?"

"He looks like a Black, but not enough that he would be suspicious as Sirius Black. But Sirius is the only Black that I can ever see you hanging around with, let alone trusting enough to help you fight Death Eaters and help the Longbottoms." Remus nodded, conceding Maroculus' points. By this point the other Aurors – with a nod of consent from Maroculus – had apparated out of the library. "I'll leave you two to take the Longbottoms to St. Mungo's, I'll check tomorrow to make sure they were checked in after I've seen you. It's better not to overwhelm them right now, I think." With that Maroculus apparated away.

Remus headed towards Sirius, ending the spells on his best friend with a wave of his wand. Sirius had quickly risen from his position hunched beside Frank and hurried over to Alice's slumped form, propped against one of the bookshelves that rose through the three floors of the Manor – as all magical libraries were wont to do. She was breathing shallowly and her eyes were still open, though they were fluttering like she was desperately keeping herself conscious.

"Alice, love?" Sirius slowly lowered himself beside Alice, performing the same diagnostic spells on her as he had on Frank, "It's Sirius, can you speak?"

"F-Fr-Frank?"

"Frank's fine love," Sirius reassured her, "We're going to take you both to St. Mungo's in a bit, but I need to make sure you're okay first."

"Okay. Can I fall asleep now?" She slurred, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled to keep them open.

"Not just yet, love. Open your eyes for me. I need to make sure you're not concussed." Alice complied and pried her eyes open again, blinking up at Sirius blearily. "That's it, love. Remus is here as well and he's gonna hold your hand and every time your eyes start closing he's going to squeeze your hand and you need to open them again, okay?" Alice nodded jerkily and Remus quickly took her hand as Sirius directed.

Sirius quickly finished performing the diagnostic spells on Alice, relieved when it turned out that, though she was a bit worse off than Frank, she was mostly okay and wouldn't suffer any long-lasting effects of the Cruciatus. Throughout it Remus squeezed her hand gently every time she started to drift off.

"I'm done, love. I'm going to put you under a stasis charm now so that you don't worsen and then we'll take you both to St. Mungo's. Okay?" Sirius asked.

Alice started to nod, a small smile on her face, "Than yo, Siwius." She slurred out, her eyelids fluttering again. Just as Sirius went to cast the stasis charm she sat bolt upright, panic making her injuries negligible, "NEVILLE! Sirius! Where's my son!?" Alice was screeching, her eyes wide with horror. Sirius sent Remus a horrified look, having completely forgotten about the Longbottom's young son. When Alice made motions to try to get up Sirius cast a quick sleeping charm and placed her under the stasis charm. He and Remus jumped to their feet and rushed out of the library, only stopping to cast strong wards around the room to keep Frank and Alice safe.

"You check downstairs, Moony!" Sirius shouted as he scaled the large staircase in the front hall two steps at a time. Remus shouted back the affirmative, pushing into the first room opposite the library.

Sirius slowed down as he reached the top step and the large landing, slowing his breathing to listen for any sounds, he swore angrily when he couldn't hear anything and then nearly smacked himself when he remembered _homenum revelio_. He quickly cast the spell, and cancelling the three lights heading downstairs for Remus, Alice and Frank, and the one heading for himself, he hurried after the fifth one towards the end of the hall. He let go of a breath he hadn't know he was holding when the spell confirmed that Neville was still alive.

He pushed open the door to what looked like Neville's room, his brain reminding him that alive didn't necessarily mean healthy. He pushed into the room hesitantly, only rushing in when he saw Neville's small shape in the child bed in the middle of the room. He whipped out his wand and was only satisfied that Neville was healthy and alive when he'd cast every single diagnostic spell he could think of. He ignored the tears of relief gathering in his eyes and cast a spell to gather anything Neville would need for a few nights with his grandparents whilst his parents were in St. Mungo's.

He then scooped up the boy and hoisted him high on his chest, holding him close as he floated the bag filled with essentials ahead of himself. He brandished his wand, and knowing that Augusta Longbottom wouldn't listen to anything from him, he cast his Patronus and instructed it to go to Callidora Longbottom, née Black, a distant cousin of his, and Frank's grandmother, to inform her that Frank and Alice would be in St. Mungo's.

He raced back down the stairs as quick as he could with Neville in his arms and hurried back into the library, taking down the wards as he rushed down the corridor to the room. He shouted for Remus as loud as he risked whilst holding Neville in his arms and said man's head popped out of a room a few doors down the corridor, his hair was in disarray and relief lit up his face when he saw Neville in Sirius' arms.

"Didn't think to cast a _homenum revelio_ , Moony?" Sirius asked with a smirk pulling at his mouth. Remus swore under his breath as he approached Sirius. "Did you forget you're a wizard?" Sirius cackled with amusement as he entered the library. Remus just rolled his eyes and followed Sirius into the room.

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response, Pads." Remus responded snippily.

"We're going to have to apparate them, aren't we? I don't want to risk it really but their fireplaces won't be connected to the floo network right now." Sirius frowned down at Frank and Alice.

"No, we won't. Fawley gave me a portkey before he left."

"Oh, thank fuck."

Remus pulled the muggle trainer out of his pocket and held it out for Sirius to take. Sirius did so and Remus took Neville off him whilst Sirius gripped the bag in one hand, placing that same hand gently on Alice's wrist. Remus crouched down by Frank and grasped his wrist, reaching out to grab a hold of the portkey, which Sirius was holding out, with his other hand. Remus cast the same disguising spells on Sirius again, before clearly saying the activation word. They were pulled away from Longbottom Manor quickly and deposited in the entrance of St. Mungo's still in the same position.

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
12:03am  
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries – London**

There were shouts of surprise when they appeared in the waiting room, and a Healer that was passing through hurried over to them quickly.

"What's wrong?"

"This is Alice and Frank Longbottom, they were under the Cruciatus curse, we don't know how long for. Four Death Eaters broke into their home. I checked them over and put them both under stasis charms. Alice is more damaged than Frank, but from what I can see neither of them should be permanently damaged." Sirius listed quickly, seriousness overtaking his usual joking façade.

"I'll bring them to a room and then you will explain to me how you came to check over them." The healer responded briskly, waving her wand over both Longbottoms and levitating them before through the halls to the magical lift that would take them to the spell damage floor. "I am Healer Mallory. Who are you two?"

"I'm Remus Lupin, this is Reginald McAllister and this is Alice and Frank's son Neville." Remus quickly answered before Sirius could get them into any possible trouble.

Healer Mallory directed Alice and Frank into a private room and levitated them both onto separate beds, flicking her wand at the door straight after to block out the rest of the hospital, "And how, Mr. McAllister, do you know what you've told me?"

"I did a year's training under Madam Pomfrey in basic healing, so I ran all of the diagnostic spells she taught me on them." Sirius answered, not letting his worry colour his voice.

Healer Mallory nodded at him but didn't say anything else, turning to run her wand over first Alice and then Frank. "It seems you were correct, Mr. McAllister. It was a good thing you were there, if they had not been placed under stasis charms they would have gotten worse. Now I must insist that, as neither of you are family, and their son is currently much too young, and fast asleep, you leave the room. Sit in the corridor outside, I will come out when I am finished. Has their family been informed that they are here?" Healer Mallory's voice was brisk as she started to usher Remus and Sirius out of the room, Sirius nodded in reply to her final question and with a curt nod at both, Healer Mallory shut the door.

They sat outside the room for what felt like hours before Callidora, Harfang, Algernon, and his wife, Augusta Longbottom arrived in the hospital, but it had probably only been about an hour at the most.

"It was a good idea including the Black family seal in your Patronus, cousin. How on earth did you manage it?" Callidora asked as she swept up to the two men sitting exhaustedly in the uncomfortable chairs. She was the most unruffled of the four Longbottoms who had just arrived in the hospital; Harfang was twisting his hands together nervously, worry etched into every feature of his face, Algernon – who looked exactly like his son, Frank – was biting on his lip furiously and looking very harried, Augusta, not a Longbottom by birth, had inherited the fiery temper of her family, the McKinnons, and was practically frothing at the mouth.

Sirius smirked up at his cousin, not all Blacks were awful after all – just seemed that all the nice ones married away from the family. "I'll have to show you later, cousin. I'm glad you listened to it."

Callidora, a Black and Slytherin through and through, despite her current last name, smirked back and held her hands out for Neville, Remus passed him over. "But, of course. Augusta certainly did not want to listen to you, but she is not yet the matriarch of this family. I know a Black magical signature when I see one, and I know a good magical signature when I see one. You are Pollux's grandson, correct?" She asked, as if she didn't already know the whole of the family tree.

"I prefer to think of myself as Dorea's son." He responded with a smirk.

"Ah, yes. You were the one my poor cousin Dorea took in. She and Cassie were always my favourites."

"Poor?"

"Well of course, with you and young James to look after," Callidora joked with a small wink, straightening up from talking to Sirius when the door behind them opened. "I shall take my leave now, boys. Thank you for everything you did for my grandson and granddaughter-in-law, it would be lovely to see you again, cousin." Sirius took her outstretched hand graciously and placed a gentle kiss on it.

"It certainly would be, Mrs. Longbottom."

"Please call me Callidora, Sirius, we are cousins after all. Do come back tomorrow to see how they are." She smiled kindly at Sirius, taking the bag he held out and turned to follow her family into the small hospital room.

Remus stared entirely bemused at Sirius for a few seconds as they headed out of the hospital, before said man sent him a confused frown, "What, Moony?"

"It's just really weird to see you being all Pureblood." Remus chuckled as Sirius rolled his eyes. They left the hospital to go home and sleep ready for tomorrow morning and the suspected revelations about Peter that they would receive.


	7. Making Plans

_**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, you guys are awesome – let me know what you think of this one!**_

 _They left the hospital to go home and sleep ready for tomorrow morning and the suspected revelations about Peter that they would receive._

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
8am  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

Sirius barely managed to drag himself out of bed the next morning by 8am, but was eventually roused by his desperate need to wee and Har-Alphard's calls for attention in the next room. Sirius hurried to the toilet, all whilst wondering where the fuck Remus was and why he hadn't gone in to see Harr-Alphard (that was going to take a lot of getting used to) yet.

When he finally made it to the small room that had now been transfigured into a bedroom for Alphard's use, he stopped short from opening the door for a moment, suddenly remembering that Alphard would now look like his and Marlene's son and he wasn't sure if he was ready to see that yet. The choice was taken away from him when Alphard's voice rang through the house again, "Da!"

Sirius flinched in surprise at that, there was no way Alphard could have forgotten about James and Lily yet, right? If not, then why the hell was he calling for Sirius like he was his dad?! Sirius was about to go into full panic mode but Alphard's second shout pulled him out of it and with a deep breath Sirius pushed open the door to Alphard's bedroom.

Alphard was standing up in his bed, bouncing slightly. His face lit up when he saw Sirius and he stuck his hands out and shouted "Dad! Up!" imperiously. Sirius quashed his surprise at being called dad again, knowing it was going to happen at some point, but feeling guilty that Alphard seemed to be forgetting James and Lily, and crossed the room in two strides to pull his new son out of his bed.

Alphard settled against Sirius happily and fell silent. Sirius took the opportunity to examine the changes that the blood adoption potion had wrought. Alphard was definitely a different looking child to Harry Potter and Sirius sighed with relief that there would be no questions about his parentage.

Alphard's eyes had faded from their bright emerald green to the pale green blue that Marlene's eyes had been, and though they pained Sirius to look into and caused a sharp pang in his chest when he thought of the woman he had loved and lost, he was glad that some green had remained to remember Lily by. His originally messy Potter hair had fallen into soft waves framing his small face, still the same inky black that was a trait shared by both Pureblood families. His chubby face had thinned out marginally, the high cheekbones and angular features of the Black family shining through, though Sirius could tell that Alphard would probably have Marlene's small button nose as opposed to the sleek and streamlined noses of the Blacks. Overall the small changes didn't look so big when you looked at them separately, but when you looked at them as a whole, there was no doubt that Alphard was both a Black and a McKinnon.

Sirius sucked in a fortifying breath and hugged Alphard closer as he headed downstairs to get breakfast for them both. Remus was sitting at the table in the kitchen, sipping from a muggle takeaway cup of coffee, on the table in front of him was an empty muggle plastic bag with breakfast baps and another coffee cup beside it.

"Morning, Pads."

"Moony. Why didn't you get Alphard?" Sirius questioned, taking the seat opposite Remus with Alphard on his lap.

Remus looked up from the Daily Prophet, a confused frown on his face until he saw Alphard in Sirius' arms and Sirius watched realisation and remembrance sweep over his best friend, "I was getting breakfast for you, lazy arse."

"Oh, fuck off." Sirius retorted light-heartedly, grabbing a sausage bap and tearing into it like an animal, grinning around his mouthful at Alphard when the boy giggled. Sirius summoned a kid's bowl, small spoon and Alphard's favourite cereal – Magic Merlin Munchies – from the cupboard and with a wave of his wand had the cereal, and the milk that was already on the table, pouring into Alphard's bowl. "Do you want to feed yourself, Alphard?" Sirius questioned the boy.

"Yes!" Said boy cheered, grabbing the spoon hovering in front of him, barely paying attention to either Sirius or Remus as Sirius transferred him to the chair beside him. Alphard happily tucked into the cereal.

"When's Fawley coming over?" Sirius asked Remus once Alphard was successfully distracted by his breakfast, which had started spinning slowly in his bowl to entertain him. Remus put down the paper, which had the title _"Sirius Black still missing! Is he really innocent or was it all a ploy?"_ splashed across it, and reached for the bacon roll, taking a large bite. Sirius rose a brow at it, and rolled his eyes, "They really don't try with those headlines, do they?" He quipped.

Remus snorted in amusement, and answered Sirius' initial question, "Dunno," he mumbled around the food in his mouth, at which Sirius rolled his eyes, "He just said this morning. That's all I know, mate."

Any further speculation over Maroculus was interrupted by a knock at the front door that both Sirius and Remus hoped was Maroculus and not a horrible surprise like the Dumbledore incident; just in case, Sirius stayed in the kitchen with Alphard whilst Remus rose from his seat to open the front door, stuffing the rest of the bacon roll in his mouth as he went.

When he wrenched open the door he was relieved to see it was Maroculus standing there, his light brown hair mussed and his pale blue eyes watering from the strength of the wind. Remus beckoned him in quickly, shutting the door firmly after him and leading him through to the kitchen after confirming it actually was Maroculus.

"Take a seat, mate." Sirius said, gesturing to a chair at the oak breakfast table, "Want some coffee? I think Moony got you a cup." Remus nodded sliding the final coffee cup across the table to Maroculus and directing the milk and sugar to float in his direction in case he wanted either of them.

"Thanks for coming, Fawley."

"No problem. I know how much you guys did for The Order. It's the least I could do." Maroculus said with a small smile, ruffling his hair with his free hand and taking a sip from the undoctored coffee. "Who's the kid?" he asked glancing at Alphard who was giggling delightedly as the Magic Merlin munchies flew around his head now.

"My son, Alphard James Black." Sirius responded, tousling Alphard's now much less messy black hair.

"He's the one you wanted me to slip the birth cert in for, yeah? I did that by the way. He should be on the Hogwarts list no problem." Maroculus said, his shrewd eyes examining Sirius and then Remus.

"Yeah. He was born in the middle of the war and Marlene, his mother, died before we could register him. I didn't want to register him just in case, but then the war ended." Sirius didn't break eye contact with Maroculus, wanting to prove that he was telling the truth.

"Hmm. McKinnon, yeah? She was a good witch. Sorry, mate." Maroculus patted Sirius' shoulder gruffly, before getting down to business. Sirius breathed a silent sigh of relief. "I got a list of all the Wizarding families in Devon for you. How is this gonna help you find Pettigrew?"

Remus and Sirius exchanged a silent glance, before Remus spoke up, "Pettigrew is an unregistered Animagus, a rat."

"So, you think he's hiding with a Wizarding family? In Devon?"

"Yes. Definitely. He wouldn't hide out with muggles, he doesn't like them, and we think he'll be in Devon because that's where he's from." Remus expounded, Sirius nodding along with him.

"Right. Well, do you plan on going to every Wizarding family in Devon, knocking on their doors and asking if they own a rat?" Maroculus asked with a raised eyebrow, looking between the suddenly amused Sirius and Remus in confusion.

"No. We have a way." Sirius responded with a wink. Maroculus shook his head in disbelief and rose from the table, knowing from working with them in The Order that there was no point in even trying to weasel an honest answer out of any of the Marauders about their secret activities – or their nicknames.

"I have to get to work. Good luck with your search, let me know when you find anything." He drained the rest of his coffee, slapped Sirius companionably on the shoulder and handed Remus the list of families as he headed out of the front door.

Remus settled back down at the table opposite Sirius and spread out the piece of parchment between them. They both leaned forward to peruse the information contained within.

"Well this is gonna take a while," Sirius finally said, leaning back heavily in his chair, and glancing to the side to check that Alphard was still happy – he was.

"Yeah. Fuck, Pads. Who knew there were so many Wizarding families in Devon?" Remus ran his finger down the list of families, counting twenty before he gave up.

"We're gonna have to do it alphabetically to make sure that we go to everyone." Sirius summated, garnering a nod of agreement from Remus, who was nibbling on his lower lip as he perused the list.

"What are we gonna do about Alphard whilst we're out hunting for Pettigrew?" Remus questioned, relaxing back into his chair and taking a large sip of his lukewarm coffee, grimacing at it.

"I was going to contact Andromeda."

Remus' eyebrows raised as his blue eyes snapped to Sirius, "Are you serious?"

"Always." Sirius winked.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Padfoot!" Remus expelled a sharp breath, sighing heavily at his best friend's penchant for stupid puns, "What if Andromeda curses you on the spot?"

"She won't. We Blacks stick together."

"You were disowned, Sirius. I don't really think that's sticking together."

"Oh, shut up, Moony. Fine, we disowned Blacks stick together." Sirius grinned around the final mouthful of his sausage bap, swallowing it down before speaking again, "I'll head out now, if you're alright watching Alphard? Then we can start hunting for Pettigrew quicker."

Remus nodded his agreement to watching Alphard. Sirius stood from the table quickly, ruffling Alphard's hair before stretching his back. Remus rolled his eyes at the amount of flesh Sirius still had on show, trying to stop his eyes from drifting longingly to the tantalising strip of hair leading down into Sirius' muggle boxers.

Sirius headed upstairs to throw some clothes on whilst Remus cleared up the small amount of mess left from their breakfast; something which mostly involved throwing away the takeaway cups and empty plastic bag, and wiping Alphard's face of the mess he'd made whilst eating his breakfast. Remus then carried Alphard upstairs to get him dressed. Sirius bound out of the bathroom, still only half dressed – though at least he was wearing trousers now – and with his wand in his hand, waving teeth cleaning spells at his mouth as he shimmied past Remus into his bedroom.

Remus let out a long-suffering sigh, glancing down at Alphard, "Your father is a tough one to deal with, mini-Prongs." Remus told the little boy as he placed him down on his bed to go hunting for clothes for Sirius' son.

Alphard giggled, "Da silly!" he shouted gleefully. Remus chuckled and agreed with the little boy loudly, a feat which incurred an insulted "Hey!" to echo from Sirius' room next door. Remus grinned even wider and turned from the drawers with a triumphant noise, now holding a small pair of muggle jogging bottoms and a small set of robes.

Alphard protested all the way through being dressed but Remus persisted until the boy was ready for the day. By the time they made it out and back downstairs, Sirius was finally ready too, ruffling his own hair to look tastefully dishevelled as he planted a kiss on Alphard's forehead and pulled Remus into a quick hug that made Remus wish he got a kiss too, before prancing out of the door, only stopping to grab his leather jacket on his way out.

Remus rolled his eyes again, worried that Sirius would cause him to have eye-strain at some point and repeated his earlier sentiments in a serious voice to Alphard, "A very tough one, that one," who just giggled and demanded to play a game.

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
9:50am  
Andromeda and Ted Tonks house – Nottingham, Nottinghamshire**

Sirius arrived outside his cousin's house with a crack and swallowed nervously as he stared up at the suddenly very intimidating door in front of him. He hadn't seen Andromeda for three or four years, and he would've been nervous of her reception even if he wasn't dreading her possible reaction to his reported guilt.

He took a deep breath and finally rapped his knuckles smartly on the large wooden door. There was silence for a second and then he heard running footsteps inside the house, before the door was yanked open. At first it looked like there was no one there; until he looked down.


	8. A Formidable Black Woman

_**A/N: Thank you everyone who commented! I hope people are still liking this story :D Here's the next chapter for you all. Let me know what you think!**_

 _Sirius arrived outside his cousin's house with a crack and swallowed nervously as he stared up at the suddenly very intimidating door in front of him. He hadn't seen Andromeda for three or four years, and he would've been nervous of her reception even if he wasn't dreading her possible reaction to his reported guilt._

 _He took a deep breath and finally rapped his knuckles smartly on the large wooden door. There was silence for a second and then he heard running footsteps inside the house, before the door was yanked open. At first it looked like there was no one there; until he looked down._

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
9:50am  
Andromeda and Ted Tonks house – Nottingham, Nottinghamshire**

"Who are you?" The neon-yellow haired, purple eyed little girl demanded, frowning up at Sirius. Sirius stared at her in shock for a few seconds, before suddenly remembering that his cousin had a young daughter who was a Metamorphmagus.

"Could I speak to your parents, please?" Sirius asked, trying to stop himself from grinning wide as her hair shifted to a bright turquoise and her nose quite literally scrunched up.

"I'm not s'posed to talk to strangers." She exclaimed.

"I'm not a stranger though," he responded, smirking when she looked confused, "I'm your mum's cousin, Sirius."

"That's a silly name! Why would you want to be called serious?" Her hair shifted to a dark red and her eyebrows crumpled down over her eyes until they were nearly hidden.

"It's Sirius, spelled S-I-R-I-U-S. What's your name then?" He probed, grinning manically when the girl's whole face turned a bright pink.

"NYMPHADORA ISLA TONKS! What _have_ I told you about answering the doors to strangers?!" Came a shout from inside the house.

"Ah, named after the Black naming customs, I see." Sirius said with a conspiratorial smirk.

"Stupid Black family." Nymphadora grumbled, before turning around in the doorway, "He's not a stranger, mum!" She shouted back, disgruntled in the way of children.

"How do you know that exactly, Nymphadora?!" Andromeda retorted crossly, finally appearing at her daughter's side. Her eyes widened as she took in Sirius standing in the doorway smiling sheepishly at her, she looked like she was wavering over whether to pull her wand on him or not, and just settled with glaring suspiciously at him in silence.

"Cos he said he's your cousin, mum!" Nymphadora whined, turning her face up to her mum and making her eyes widen.

"That's beside the point, young girl! Now go inside and sit in the living room until I come get you, please." Andromeda stared down her pouting daughter who finally huffed and spun on her the heel of her foot (nearly falling in the process – Andromeda's arms the only thing saving her) and stomped off into the house. Andromeda turned back to Sirius with a stern glare, letting her suspicious eyes roam over his very much alive and there body.

"Hey, Andie." He said softly, keeping eye contact with her and trying to convey his innocence.

"Sirius. I thought you were dead, or in hiding." Andromeda said warily, crossing her arms tightly over her chest and not stepping back or letting Sirius into her house, just yet.

"Not dead, and not in hiding for the reasons you think I am, Andie, I promise."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously again, a frown crinkling her attractive face, "Why are you in hiding then? I heard that you'd either betrayed the Potters or died and that's why You-Know-Who was able to get to them."

"I would never betray the Potters, Andie. You know me better than that. James was the brother I'd always wanted, I would never hurt him or put his life at risk." Sirius scowled, "I thought all of my friends felt the same but it turns out that Peter" Sirius spat the name of the traitor that had ruined his and Remus' lives and ended James and Lily's, "didn't feel that way. I switched places with him because I thought he'd be the least obvious choice as a secret keeper – no one would ever try to get the information from him because they'd never think he had it. That would have worked if he wasn't already working for Voldemort, the bastard. We switched and he betrayed them." Andromeda's hand had flown to her mouth and she was looking horrified now, but no longer suspicious of Sirius.

"Oh, Sirius!" She exclaimed, reaching out and pulling him into a hug. Sirius stiffened in her embrace for a second, before melting into it and hugging her back. "Come in!"

Sirius followed Andromeda into the large townhouse after they'd separated from the hug. She led him into the large front sitting room, gesturing to the sofa for him to take a seat and then calling for "Wispy!"

A house elf appeared in the middle of the room, grinning widely at Andromeda and Sirius, "How can Wispy be helpings you, mistress?"

"Can you get us some tea please, Wispy." Andromeda asked as she settled into one of the chairs opposite Sirius, "and inform Nymphadora that she is welcome to join us in the sitting room, if she wishes."

The house elf nodded and popped out of the room. Sirius and Andromeda sat in a tense silence whilst they waited, both only moving once Wispy had popped back in with the tray, to pour themselves a cup of tea. As they settled back into their seats, Nymphadora breezed into the room, grinning.

"I told you he wasn't a stranger, mum!" She exclaimed smugly, flopping onto the sofa beside Sirius and grinning up at him. Sirius grinned back, relaxing a bit more as her childish excitement filled the room with cheer and lifted the gloomy atmosphere that had settled over both Sirius and Andromeda after talking about betrayals and deaths.

"So you did, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me that, mum!" She whined, scowling at her mother, her hair changing to an ugly green-brown. "I'm Dora!"

Andromeda rolled her eyes at Sirius, who chuckled, overly amused. "Did you know that weird names are a tradition in our family, Dora?" He asked, spinning slightly in his seat to make eye contact with the young girl.

She shrugged, not overly interested in where Sirius was going with this, "No."

"Well they are. My mother is called Walburga! Your name is much nicer than that! And your grandmother's name on your mum's side is Druella; that's not a very nice name is it either? You and your mum have much nicer names than most of the women in the Black family." He told her with a grin. Dora's hair turned a pale blue and she looked at her mum sceptically.

"Is that true, mum?"

"Yes, it is. Our family has odd naming traditions, love."

Dora took a second to think, her hair and eyes cycling through a rainbow of colours before settling on a bright pink, "Okay. I still like Dora better!" She finally decided, sprinting out of the room when she lost interest in the adults, an 'oomph' heralded her trip as she ascended the stairs. Sirius chuckled and Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here, Sirius?" She asked after a few minutes of contemplative silence. Sirius opened his mouth to answer, "And don't say to just see me. If you are truly in hiding, then you must have a reason for risking everything."

"We need your babysitting prowess." He admitted after a tense silence where he deliberated, Andromeda's eyebrows flew up her forehead, "Remus and I are going to hunt down Pettigrew but my son needs someone to look after him whilst we're out doing that."

"Your son?!" Andromeda's voice was high with incredulity.

"Yeah. Mine and Marlene's."

"Impossible."

"What? That Marlene would love me enough to have a kid with me?"

"No, that's not what I meant, and you know it. Marlene was a close friend in The Order, Sirius. I saw her multiple times whilst she was in hiding before she died. She was most certainly not pregnant." Andromeda raised her eyebrow at Sirius, daring him to try to pull the other leg.

"Err… right. Wasn't expecting you to know that honestly." Sirius admitted sheepishly, "I mean in all honest truth he is now mine and Marlene's child in blood. But I performed a blood adoption."

"Harry Potter." Andromeda deduced flatly, her voice rising as she exclaimed, "He's alive?!"

"How the hell did you know?"

"There is no other kid that you would do that for, Sirius. So, it has to be Harry. I get why you needed to disguise him by blood adopting him, though. If the Wizarding World had ever thought he was alive, they would have heralded him as the saviour. He never would have had a moment's peace. And if Dumbledore had got his hands on the poor boy, I can't imagine where he'd have put him – because it certainly wouldn't have been with you."

Sirius nodded in agreement with Andromeda's deductions, "That's exactly what Remus and I decided. He's called Alphard James Black now. Can I trust you to look after him?"

"Of course, you can, Sirius. Bring him over whenever you want."

"Now?" Sirius questioned sheepishly, shrinking under Andromeda's withering glare.

"Yes. Fine. Honestly, common courtesy would have suggested you come ask me the day before." She scoffed, pureblood customs from a childhood under her parent's tutelage coming to the fore. Sirius chuckled and sent her a cheeky grin.

"Busy rescuing Alice and Frank from Death Eaters yesterday! I'll go fetch him." Sirius declared, bouncing up from the sofa and dashing out the front door to apparate away and collect Remus and Alphard.

"What?!" She shouted after him in shock, but he was gone before she got an answer. Andromeda sighed and cleared away the tea tray to the kitchen with a quick wave of her wand. She didn't manage to get anything else done before there was a loud crack outside the still ajar front door and Sirius bound back in, Remus and Alphard in tow. Andromeda sighed again, and rolled her eyes to the heavens, what on earth had she gotten herself in for.

"Good morning, Andromeda. I apologise for Sirius."

"You'd think I'd be used to him know," She responded with a small smirk, taking Remus' hand in a firm handshake. They knew each other vaguely from Order meetings. She spun on her heel suddenly to glare at Sirius, "What the hell did you say about the Longbottoms before you apparated away?"

"Oh."

"Pads!"

"Sorry…" He grinned sheepishly at his best friend and cousin, "We went to see them yesterday to let them know that it was all over but the Death Eaters had got there first. Bellatrix was torturing them with the Cruciatus. I think we got there just in time to save their sanity. They're in St. Mungo's now."

"Bellatrix?" Andromeda asked, taking a shaky seat on the chair in her hall, "My utterly insane sister?" She demanded, looking up at Sirius now.

Sirius was struck with the similarities and differences between the two sisters all at once. Both had the inky black hair of the Blacks and it fell around their shoulders in a riot of curls, similar to Sirius' slightly more tame hair. Andromeda's face and silver eyes were softer and kind whereas Bellatrix's had always been sharp and cold, judgemental and always slightly mad. Their younger sister Narcissa looked nothing like either of them, with her straight pale blonde hair and dark eyes; both inherited from their Rosier mother. Narcissa and Andromeda had always been more similar in temperament than their older sister, cool and calculating – one facet of the Black family – in contrast to Bellatrix's barely balanced disposition; her emotions simmering close to the surface – the other facet of the Black family; a temperament that Sirius and his mother Walburga both possessed.

"Yes, your insane sister."

Andromeda let out an aggrieved sigh before rising from the chair with a determined mien and reaching out to take Alphard from Remus' hold. Remus glanced at Sirius for confirmation, who nodded agreeably, before passing the boy over to Andromeda.

"Hello, young man." Andromeda said with a smile down at Alphard.

"Hello! Who you?" He demanded, sticking one hand out and grasping her curls in it.

"I'm your father's cousin, Andromeda. You can call me Andie." She told the child, who grinned up at her and started babbling away as she nodded gravely, looking for all intents and purposes like she'd never heard anything more important than what Alphard was saying.

"Are you okay if we leave, Andie?"

She glanced up from Alphard with a small smile on her face, her equivalent of Sirius' broad grin, "Of course, Sirius. I'll feed him lunch and dinner if you're not back by then. When's his bedtime?"

"Six." Remus provided, smiling down at Alphard and ruffling his hair when the boy grinned gummily at him.

"Of course, if you're not back by then I'll put him to sleep. Please be back by nine at the latest."

"We will be," Remus responded promptly, quickly ushering a forlornly staring Sirius out of the front door, "Pads! He'll be fine when we get back."

Sirius turned to look at Remus, sadness in his eyes, "I know, mate. I'm just gonna miss him."

"Me too, Padfoot. But we've gotta find Pettigrew so you can be free, and you and he don't have to be cooped up in the house for eternity." Remus reasoned, grabbing Sirius' arm and preparing to apparate them to a lane near Pettigrew's house in Devon.

"You got the list yeah, Moony?"

"I've got the list." Remus spun on his heel and apparated them to Devon. When they landed in the alley Sirius glanced around in confusion for a second, before realising where they were.

"Why the hell are we here, Moony?"


	9. The Search Begins

_**A/N: I hope everyone is still liking this! Let me know**_ __

" _We've gotta find Pettigrew so you can be free and you and [Alphard] don't have to be cooped up in the house for eternity." Remus reasoned, grabbing Sirius' arm and preparing to apparate them to a lane near Pettigrew's house in Devon._

" _You got the list yeah, Moony?"_

" _I've got the list." Remus spun on his heel and apparated them to Devon. When they landed in the alley Sirius glanced around in confusion for a second, before realising where they were._

" _Why the hell are we here, Moony?"_

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
11:25am  
Potticot Alley – Exeter magical quarter, Devon**

"Because there's a chance that Pettigrew will be in his rat form at his parent's house. So, we need to check there first." Remus answered logically, rolling his eyes at Sirius' dramatically angry face.

Sirius sighed histrionically before shifting down to Padfoot and allowing Remus to put a collar and leash on him, he stared up at Remus with a look in eyes that was clearly intended to tell Remus that he hated him. Remus just rolled his eyes and walked out of the alley, pulling a reluctant Padfoot along behind him. Padfoot put his nose to the ground and sniffed along as they headed in the direction of Pettigrew's parent's house. Padfoot tried to not let himself get distracted by the many smells as he followed Remus along and Remus tried not to look entirely mad as he sniffed the air, trying to catch a hint of Pettigrew with his werewolf sense of smell.

When they had explored the area all around Pettigrew's parent's house and found no trace of the traitor, Remus led Sirius into another alley and the man shifted back to his human form after Remus took the collar and leash off and assured no one was around.

"He's not here, Moony."

"It was a long shot anyway. We still doing this in alphabetical order?" Remus asked, passing Sirius the list when said man gestured for it.

"Nah, it'd probably be easier to do it by proximity. Work our way down Devon by family, or up, either way we can just cross families off the list once we've checked them so that we don't go back to the same place twice."

Remus nodded his agreement for the plan and the two men pulled out a map of Devon. "We should start at the Cornwall border and work our way towards the Dorset border." Remus reasoned, after staring at the map for a long moment. It was a magical map so it also showed all the magical villages, towns and cities, as well as having an option to make it 3D if one so wished.

"Good plan. Who's closest to the Cornwall border?" Sirius asked, glancing down at the list of families and their locations. Remus stared between the list and the map for a few moments, before working it out.

"Carsa and Joshua Jones, the parents of Gwenog, they live in Bradstone, which is right on the border." Remus pointed out.

"Gwenog Jones?"

"Yeah, she had just started first year in our sixth year." Sirius frowned, not recognising the name, and Remus rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter anyway, let's just go check."

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
7:50pm  
Lovegood residence – Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon**

They had been hunting for the whole day and were both tired and losing hope. They had visited over twenty Wizarding homes and had finally just got past Exeter again, and were nearing the border with Dorset. Neither Remus nor Sirius were in good spirits, the worry that maybe Pettigrew hadn't chosen to go to Devon, or stay with a Wizarding family clouding their moods.

Ottery St. Catchpole housed not only the Fawcetts and Diggorys – on whom they had already checked – but also the Lovegoods, and the Weasleys. They arrived with a quiet pop just next to the rook shaped house of the Lovegoods and Remus quickly cast the disillusionment on himself whilst Sirius shifted into Padfoot. They took their time sniffing around the house, glad that neither Lovegood seemed to be home at that moment.

"Not here," Remus said on a defeated sigh as he and Sirius, still in Animagus form, strode purposefully over the hill towards the Weasley residence. "You're gonna have to get one of the kids to take you inside, Pads." Remus said reluctantly as they crested the hill and looked down on the higgledy-piggledy house, "There's no way we'll be able to explore that whole place from the outside."

Sirius quickly shifted back, tapping himself on the head to disillusion himself, "I can't, mate. What if Pettigrew is in there and sees me? He'll escape before I can get to him and then where will we be? He'd disappear forever if we did that."

Remus frowned but conceded that Sirius had a frustratingly good point. They both stood there for a second, looking down at the house swarming with redheads.

"I've got a plan!" Remus suddenly declared and before Sirius could ask anything there was a soft pop beside him indicating that Remus had apparated away. Sirius stared incredulously at the spot for a moment before settling down to watch the house from afar and wait for Remus. They had been lucky up to this point that every place they had gone to was a small family that were either out at work or not in the middle of nowhere.

Unfortunately for them, the Weasleys were not a small family, and Mrs. Weasley didn't work. Though with six kids in the house under ten and one away at Hogwarts, Sirius couldn't really blame her for not wanting to work. Ten minutes later Remus reappeared beside the still disillusioned Sirius with another pop, though he was now visible.

"Padfoot, you still here?"

"It would've been fucking hilarious if I wasn't," Sirius commented from the ground, "Then you'd have been talking to yourself."

"I can smell you, Pads."

"Rude! I don't smell."

"Of course, you do, Padfoot. It wasn't an insult for fuck sake." Remus rolled his eyes, stretching out a hand to pull Sirius up from the ground. Sirius grumbled but grasped Remus' hand and rose from the ground; not very gracefully. Remus rapped Sirius on the head and cancelled the disillusionment.

"Why the hell did you disappear, Moony?"

"Polyjuice potion."

"What about it?"

"That's how we're going to get in. We won't smell like ourselves so Pettigrew won't be able to work out that it's us. But we'll still be able to smell him and identify if he's there."

"And how exactly are we going to get into the house in the first place, oh wise one?" Sirius asked sarcastically, raising an incredulous eyebrow at Remus.

"That's all in the plan." He answered, holding out a steaming cup towards Sirius. Sirius glanced down at the pale blue potion, took a fortifying breath, and downed the cup in one. He grimaced and tried to control his urge to be sick. He watched as Remus did the same with a potion of a silvery colour. They grimaced at each other and then watched as their faces bubbled and they transformed into non-descript Ministry workers.

Remus reached out and performed a _colovaria_ charm on Sirius' leather jacket so that it changed to a pale yellow – the colour of the Animagus registry investigators – and then with another piece of complex transfiguration he turned Sirius' leather jacket into a set of Ministry robes, still the pale-yellow colour. He did the same to his own robes and turned to start striding purposefully down the hill.

"What the hell, Remus?" Sirius whisper-shouted, grabbing Remus' arm before he could leave. "This better be able to go back to my leather jacket! I look weird in yellow, and I look fucking hot in my leather jacket."

Remus rolled his eyes and didn't admit that he agreed with Sirius' assessment of himself. "It will, don't worry. Now, come on. Follow my lead."

Sirius didn't mention how disconcerting it was to hear Remus' voice coming out of the body of a man who was at least five inches shorter and considerably fatter; less muscled and less scarred than Sirius' best friend. He assumed that he looked just as weird to Remus.

Remus strode down the hill just slightly ahead of Sirius, stopping at the edge of the Weasley's wards and sending in a note folded like a muggle airplane. They waited impatiently, both of them eager to discover whether Pettigrew was hiding with the Weasleys or not.

A few minutes later a plump red-headed woman hurried out of the door, her wand in hand and eyes narrowed at Remus and Sirius. She walked up to the edge of the wards in front of them and with a wave of her wand the sound barrier between the three of them came down. The two Marauders were suddenly assaulted with the noises from inside the Weasley's residence; screaming and laughing children.

"How can I help you?" The Weasley matriarch questioned, the paranoia from the war still lingering after only a month.

"Good evening Mrs Weasley. We are sorry for arriving so late in the day but we are examining every Wizarding household in Devon, as there is an unregistered Animagus on the escape in the area and we are tasked with finding and identifying him." Remus responded, infusing his voice with calm.

"Do you have proof that you're from the Ministry?" She demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

Remus pulled the two ID badges that he had stolen from the Ministry workers from his pockets, and showed them to Mrs Weasley. The only reason he had been able to take the genetically coded badges and get away without being horribly shocked was because he was a werewolf, and it was the reason that he hadn't allowed Sirius to take his.

She perused the badges quickly and nodded curtly, waving her wand again and letting them through the wards, "It's horrible that there's a person in disguise running around here! What about my poor children?"

"That's why we're here, ma'am," Sirius responded, following Remus and Mrs Weasley in through the front door of their house.

"Call me Molly, please." She said, gesturing to them to take a seat at the large, cluttered kitchen table, "Can I get either of you a drink?" She asked them as she bustled around the large kitchen, waving her wand to fill the kettle and set it to boiling on the stove. There was a shriek from upstairs and before either Sirius or Remus could respond to her query, Molly had turned from the stove and was screeching up the stairs, "FRED GIDEON AND GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY YOU LEAVE RON ALONE OR I WILL COME UP THERE AND SO HELP ME MERLIN YOU BOYS WON'T EAT DINNER TONIGHT!" Molly stood silently in the kitchen for a few moments, waiting to make sure there were no more shrieks or screams from upstairs. When silence seemed to reign she turned back and smiled kindly at Remus and Sirius, "So sorry for that, my boys can be menaces."

"No worries," Sirius said weakly, and Remus could see the panic over whether Alphard would be such a handful filling his eyes.

"We'd love cups of tea please, Molly." Remus said to break the awkward silence that had fallen over the three adults for a moment.

She smiled broadly and went back to preparing the tea for the three of them. Just as she went to take a seat at the table to talk over the issue with Sirius and Remus, two redheads came streaking into the room, one of them sobbing and the other giggling manically.

"CHARLES WEASLEY! STOP CHASING YOUR BROTHER RIGHT NOW!" She shouted, pulling out her wand and casting _immobulus_ on both boys. She then waved her wand again and took off the _immobulus_. The two boys stopped and stared at their mother, the older one behind still grinning and the one in front's lip trembling, "What _have_ I told you about chasing Percy, Charlie?"

She stared at Charlie until he unwillingly mumbled the answer, "Not to do it."

"And what were you _just_ doing?"

"Chasing Percy." He mumbled, staring down at his bare feet now. Sirius and Remus both controlled the amused grins trying to split their mouths as they watched Charlie berated just like they had been by Dorea Potter in their youths.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Charles Weasley. Go up to your room, right now, and think about what you've done. I'll let you come out when I think you're ready to behave yourself." Charlie pouted at Molly's words, but she was firm and just pointed her finger in the direction of the stairs. She then turned to the younger boy, Percy, and pulled him into a hug, "Why don't you go read your book in the living room, dear. Charlie won't bug you now." Percy nodded quietly and disappeared out of the room.

She turned back to Remus and Sirius with a strained smile and settled back against her chair more firmly, "Now, how can I help you boys?" Sirius felt the strong urge to protest the description, but Remus' hand on his arm stopped him from doing so.

"There are two ways we can search for him, Molly. But first, do you have a rat in this house to your knowledge?" Remus asked carefully, watching her face for any signs. He needn't have been watching so closely, as her reaction was rather obvious; her hands flew to her mouth in distress and her eyes widened.

"He's a rat?" She asked, horrified. Sirius nodded sagely and her eyes teared up slightly. "My son Percy has a pet rat that he found and saved just over a month ago, the poor thing had been shivering at the bottom of the garden."

"Right." Remus swallowed anxiously, "Mrs. Weasley, the best way to do this would be for you to go fetch the rat for us and stun it. If it is just a normal rat then the stunner won't harm it," Remus explained, hoping he was correct, "and if he is an Animagus then it won't cause any damage either. You will then need to bring it back down to us, this is just standard procedure, hopefully there is no reason to worry you, but if he is an Animagus then it's better to be safe than sorry."

Molly nodded and rose from the table to fetch her son's pet rat. Remus and Sirius exchanged hopeful glances, and Sirius tried not to get too excited at the possibility that the rat was Pettigrew.

"Where the hell'd you learn to talk like that, Moons? You could be an inspector." Sirius asked with a mirthful chuckle. Remus rolled his eyes and chose not to respond. At that moment two identical redheads, probably about three years old, entered the kitchen from the staircase. They stared at Remus and Sirius for a second, assessing them both, before bounding over to stare at them close up.

"Who are you?!" One of them demanded, crinkling his eyes at them both.

"We're Ministry inspectors. We're looking for a bad man!" Sirius exclaimed, grinning and winking at the two young boys when their eyes lit up with intrigue.

"Ooh!" The other exclaimed, stepping closer to Remus and assessing him again. Remus hid the small smirk that wanted to slip out at how much these two reminded him of the Marauders – he wouldn't be surprised if they turned into pranksters like them. One glance at Sirius told him that his best friend was thinking the same thing, "Can we help you?" The second one carried on, leaning closer to Remus and widening his eyes to seem more innocent; the effect was rather muted.

"Fred! George! Leave the poor men alone! Go outside and play with your toy brooms." Molly commanded, stepping back into the kitchen with a stunned rat in her hands. Fred and George grinned at their mother and ran excitedly out of the back door. Molly cast a _muffliato_ to disguise what they were discussing in case any of her other children decided to come back in and then sat back in her seat, placing the rat on the table between them.

"Well, how do we tell?" She asked, looking down at the stunned rat.


	10. Pettigrew Found

_**A/N: Please let me know what you think! Here's the bit everyone has been waiting for ;)**_

 _Molly cast a muffliato to disguise what they were discussing in case any of her other children decided to come back in and then sat back in her seat, placing the rat on the table between them._

" _Well, how do we tell?" She asked, looking down at the stunned rat._

 **5** **th** **December 1981  
9pm  
The Burrow, Weasley residence – Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon**

Remus clenched his fists and tried to stop himself from hexing or cursing anything. Sirius let out an angry breath and leaned back in his chair to get as far from the rat as possible. They exchanged a glance and both saw in the other's eyes that the stunned rat in front of them was Pettigrew. Sirius's heart leapt in his chest and hope choked his throat; he may be able to get free of the accusations laid upon him. Anger boiled in his chest, and he could see the same anger brewing behind Remus' calm façade.

"We need to perform the charm to turn an Animagus back into his human form. It won't harm the rat if it's not an Animagus. I think you need to remove your kids somewhere, so that they don't have to see this, or be in the possible line of fire." Remus explained, leaning forward in his chair sincerely.

"My husband will be home soon, I'll take the kids outside when he's back, but I'd feel more comfortable if one of us stayed with you." Molly finally responded after a few moments deliberation. Before Remus or Sirius could say anything there was a crack from outside and the hand for Arthur Weasley on the Weasley's unique clock moved to 'Home'. They waited impatiently for the Weasley patriarch to enter the house.

"Good evening Weasleys!" Arthur called as he entered the front door of the house. He hung up his heavy winter cloak and turned with a bright smile to other three adults in the room, the smile faded slightly as he took in the serious looks on the faces of his wife, and fellow Ministry workers.

"Arthur, take a seat." Molly said quietly, patting the seat beside her. Arthur did so, confusion filling his kind face. Remus and Sirius took the time, despite their deep impatience, to explain the situation to him, Molly's hand clutching onto Arthur's throughout.

He spoke up when they were done, "Molly, why don't you go look after the kids, and I'll help these two?" Molly nodded and headed upstairs to fetch the two youngest Weasleys – who were currently napping.

She came down a few minutes later to a silent kitchen, a little girl still asleep in her arms and another, tired-looking, boy holding her hand and toddling along beside her. Sirius wanted to ask her about the boy's age as he looked the same age as Alphard, and his son could use some friends, but then he remembered he wasn't in his own body, and kept his mouth shut.

"I'll be in the garden with them, Arthur." Molly said as she led her youngest son out of the room. When it was finally just the three of them in the room, Sirius suggested that Arthur maybe ward the room with the strongest wards he knew, before reaching out and forcing himself not to grab the rat too roughly. He placed it on the floor in the middle of the room, and he and Remus exchanged nervous, but excited, looks.

They pulled their wands as one and, once Arthur was finished warding the room, they cast _incarcerous_ and silencing charms on the rat, just in case the stunner wore off during the transformation, and Pettigrew tried to get away. Arthur stood in the back of the room watching as Sirius and Remus cast the complex spells intended to turn an Animagus back into its human form.

For a moment, nothing happened and Remus and Sirius exchanged incredulous and disappointed looks, before a sudden bright red light filled the room and with a flash the rat turned back into Peter Pettigrew.

Arthur let out a yell of surprise, and backed up even further into the corner of the room. Remus managed to control his morbid glee at capturing Pettigrew and cast another, stronger, stunner on the traitor, ensuring that he wouldn't get away this time.

"Mr. Weasley, we are sorry to have brought this upon your house but we have now caught a very dangerous man, I am pleased to announce." Remus said in a grave tone.

"Nonsense, don't apologise young man! You saved us from having a man disguised as a rat hiding in our home. Dangerous, you say?"

"Yes," Sirius growled, clearing his throat and apologising when Arthur looked shocked, "Sorry. He's the man who told You-Know-Who of the Potter's secret location on the night of the 31st of October. He is guilty of the crime that Sirius Black has been accused of, and we will be taking him into the Ministry now for questioning and charging. Thank you for your help." Sirius nodded politely at Arthur, casting a levitating charm and directing Pettigrew towards the front door.

" _He's_ the reason the Potters are dead? I knew them from The Order, they were lovely people, and I can't believe anyone would want them dead." Arthur looked horror-struck, "Is that why Sirius Black is in hiding? Because he didn't do it, but no one will believe him?" Sirius nodded curtly and Remus thanked Arthur for his help again. Arthur waved them both off before taking down the wards around the room. They both nodded quickly at him before striding out of the front door, Pettigrew floating between them, and off the property. Arthur watched as they disappeared with a crack.

Molly came back through the door leading to their back garden, still carrying Ginny. "Have they gone?" she asked, looking around the kitchen futilely for a sign of the rat.

"Yes. It was an Animagus." Arthur turned to Molly with shock and sadness in his eyes and wrapped his wife in a large hug. They sat at the table as he explained what had happened to her.

 **6th December 1981  
6:10am  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

Remus sat at the kitchen table, his head resting exhaustedly in his hands as he waited for Maroculus to arrive. Last night he had apparated home with Peter in tow and tied his former friend up in the basement where he had his monthly transformations, casting the same spells that kept him in as werewolf under the full moon every month.

Sirius had apparated quickly to Andromeda's to inform her that they had found Pettigrew, and ask her to look after Alphard until they had given Pettigrew over to the Ministry for questioning and charging. She had agreed and Sirius had arrived back home half an hour after Remus. They had both taken up a silent vigil for the night in the kitchen.

Morning found them both sitting at the kitchen table, lukewarm mugs of coffee clutched in their cold hands as they waited for Maroculus to respond to the note that Remus had sent out half an hour ago with Micro. There was a crack outside their front door that startled them both out of their stupor, and then a sharp rap on the door that made Sirius jump out of his seat to answer it. He peered through the peep-hole to make sure it was Maroculus before swinging the door open and hurriedly ushering their friend, and ally, in.

"Thanks for coming, Fawley." He said, smiling grimly at the Auror.

Maroculus nodded his head quickly, following Sirius through into the kitchen where Remus was still sitting, staring into space, at the table. "Have you found him already?" He asked incredulously, amazement lacing his words.

"Yes." Remus responded, looking up from the now cold coffee in his mug, "We found him last night. He's in my basement, chained up."

Maroculus' eyebrows raised up his forehead in shocked amusement, "You have a basement with chains in?" He asked Remus, turning to Sirius when the latter started cackling. Remus rolled his eyes, exasperated with his best friend and finally deigned to answer Maroculus.

"I'm a werewolf, so I use the basement for my transformations. I chain myself up if it's a particularly bad month." Remus' voice was dry and Sirius could feel his hesitation to tell their only Ministry ally this piece of information. Sirius knew that Remus had only revealed it because Maroculus was in the Order and most of the Order had known anyway.

Maroculus nodded in understanding, saying nothing else for a moment as he took a seat beside Remus at the table. Remus looked incredibly shocked at Maroculus' easy acceptance and casual manner, and sent a surprised look at Sirius, who rolled his eyes and sat down opposite Remus.

"What's going to happen now?" Remus asked after a beat of awkward silence.

"Well, I'll need to take Pettigrew in and charge him with revealing the information regarding the Potters whereabouts with intent for them to die. It will get him a minimum of 15 years in Azkaban if the Wizengamot find him guilty." Maroculus rocked back in his chair and let that information sink in for a moment.

"Where are you going to get proof that you have reason to arrest him?" Sirius asked, leaning back too and resting one leg on top of the other casually; the position looked much more relaxed than he currently felt.

"Don't need it," Maroculus stated, his disgust at the system clear, "For once the twisted legal system we have to work with is going to work in our favour. Under veritaserum and using Peter's memories we should be able to get the proof we need, especially with the fact that he's an illegal Animagus. Your testimonies would be useful to convicting him, but they're not essential. Does he have a dark mark?"

Remus nodded, remembering the horrible nauseous feeling that had washed over him when he'd felt the dark magic emanating from the mark.

"Good!" Maroculus exclaimed, jumping up from his chair, which fell to the floor with a crash and jolted both Remus and Sirius out of their sleepy reveries, "Where is he? We need to get this sorted out as quickly as possible, so you can be free, Black."

Remus rose from his seat, pulling out his wand to dismantle the wards keeping Pettigrew in the basement. Maroculus followed the werewolf down the stairs into the basement where Pettigrew was unconscious and still tied up.

"Are you alright taking him?" Remus asked wearily, "I don't think me or Sirius can deal with seeing him anymore than we have to. He…" Remus swallowed harshly, "He's the reason James, Lily, and Harry aren't alive anymore."

"Of course, mate." Maroculus briefly rested a kind hand on Remus' shoulder and the two made awkward eye contact, both trying not to think of their lost friends, "I'll floo you when I have news about a possible trial. I don't imagine it will be long, the Ministry wants someone to blame." Maroculus scoffed, anger lacing his words and Remus nodded his agreement to the disgust.

"Thanks, Fawley." Remus preceded Maroculus up the stairs as the Auror unchained Pettigrew, and cast an _incarcerous_ and an Auror level stunning spell to ensure that he wouldn't make a problem for him, before levitating the traitor up the stairs in front of him.

Sirius sneered at his ex-friend as he appeared in the hall of Remus' cottage, his manner suddenly reminding Remus of Sirius' Slytherin cousins. They both watched as Maroculus led Pettigrew out of the door onto the doorstep – where the wards on the cottage prevented any muggles from seeing him levitating Pettigrew.

"I'll floo you later." Maroculus said turning to face them. Receiving a nod from the two best friends he smiled grimly and apparated away, taking Pettigrew with him.

Remus let out a sigh of relief and looked to Sirius beside him, who had collapsed against the still open doorway, relief and pain warring in his eyes as he took in deep breaths of the crisp winter air. Remus turned away again, letting him have his privacy whilst he quietly hyperventilated. Remus walked back into the kitchen to exhaustedly tidy away the dirty mugs, and splash some cold water onto his face to try to wake himself up. He only accomplished the first part before Sirius was coming back inside and insisting they both get some sleep before picking Alphard up from Andromeda's.

"Come on, Moony. My eyes are fucking itchy. Let's go to sleep, then we need to go visit Alice and Frank in St. Mungo's, and then pick up Alphard." Sirius' voice was rough from the lack of sleep, and he blinked his eyes a few times, trying to stay awake long enough to make it to his bedroom. Remus absent-mindedly scratched at his stomach, his t-shirt rising up and showing Sirius an enticing strip of pale, muscled flesh and the thin trail of golden hair leading temptingly into Remus' low slung pyjama bottoms. Sirius swallowed a desperate groan, and followed Remus up the stairs, pressing the heel of his hand against the erection suddenly straining his trousers as he watched the muscles in Remus arse roll tantalisingly with each step.

They separated at the top of the stairs, Sirius hurrying to his room to deal with the sudden problem in his trousers, and Remus heading the opposite direction to his bedroom. Just as Remus had pulled off his robes, and was ready to get into bed in just his muggle boxers, there was an insistent tapping at his window, and he spun to see a non-descript brown owl hovering impatiently outside.

He sighed, and shuffled over to the window, yanking it open quickly and letting the owl in. Said owl dropped the letter on the closest surface – Remus' desk – nipped Remus' held out fingers and flew back out of the window haughtily. Remus rolled his eyes and stared between his bed and the scroll, wishing he could just go to sleep.

He grabbed the scroll reluctantly and unravelled it quickly to read the missive. He scowled when he saw the name at the bottom and settled into bed to read the letter, braced to be annoyed by whatever it said.

 _Dear Remus,_

 _It has come to my attention…_


	11. A Fortuitous Hospital Visit

_He grabbed the scroll and unravelled it quickly to read the missive. He scowled when he saw the name at the bottom and settled into bed to read the letter, braced to be annoyed by whatever it said._

Dear Remus,

It has come to my attention…

 **6th December 1981  
7am  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

 _Dear Remus,_

 _It has come to my attention that Peter Pettigrew was arrested today, and has been taken to the Ministry for questioning. I urge you to remain strong in the face of these false accusations against your friend, and not give up hope that Sirius Black will be found, and convicted correctly._

 _I will be attending the trial whenever it occurs, and as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot I will do everything in my power to ensure that young Peter isn't unjustly accused. I implore you to attend the trial, and put yourself forward as a character witness for the boy, to guarantee that he will not be charged and sentenced to Azkaban._

 _If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact me, and if you hear anything about Sirius Black it is your interest to inform the Ministry, so that the real cause of James, Lily, and Harry's deaths can be captured, and sentenced._

 _Kind regards,_

 _Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

 _Order of Merlin, first class  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards  
Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot_

Remus growled furiously at the note from Dumbledore, and chucked it across the room where it fell to land harmlessly on the pile of robes in the corner. He laid down huffily in bed and, despite his anger, fell into a heavy sleep within moments.

 **6** **th** **December 1981  
12pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

When Sirius woke, still slightly groggy after only five hours' sleep, he could hear the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen, which he assumed was Remus already awake. He pulled on a pair of rumpled muggle jeans and shuffled down the stairs shirtless to see what had got his friend so angry at – Sirius cast a _tempus_ – midday on the day that they had captured Pettigrew.

When he entered the kitchen, he found Remus irritably directing the washing up, like some kind of vindictive muggle conductor (yes, Sirius knew what that was).

"Moony? What fucked you off?" Sirius asked warily, taking a seat at the kitchen table. To many Remus probably appeared to be a calm and hard to rile man, Sirius knew better, the werewolf had a nasty temper if someone managed to press the right – or wrong, depending on your view – buttons. He also didn't admit to anyone, but himself, that Remus Lupin was entirely too attractive when he was angry; with his ruffled dark blonde hair, amber tinged blue eyes and tension bunched muscles.

"I've had an hour of sleep and _that_ has 'fucked me off', as you so eloquently put it." Remus said scathingly, flicking his wandless hand at the table where a battered scroll lay. Sirius reached tentatively for the scroll, slightly worried Remus might make it blow up in his hands or something. "I haven't done anything to it, Pads, for fuck sake." Remus snapped, watching Sirius out of the corner of his eye.

Sirius huffed and finished unravelling the scroll faster, his eyes darted across the words that had pissed off Remus so much, and he felt an angry scowl forming on his face as he read further and further down the letter.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Sirius roared, throwing the scroll down on the table and barely restraining himself from setting it on fire. "I'm gonna KILL that fucker!" He strode out of the kitchen, fury rolling off him in waves so strong that Remus' delicate werewolf senses caused him to flinch. He hurried out of the room after Sirius, knowing the Black's anger could often blind him to common sense, he managed to grab Sirius' arm just before the Black disappeared through the floo to most likely murder Albus Dumbledore.

"I'm just as angry as you, Padfoot. But you've got to stop and think! You've got Alphard to look after, and your name is going to be cleared soon!"

"Not if fucking Dumble-dick has anything to do with it!" Sirius raged, the angry flush on his face spreading down his bare chest, and making Remus swallow convulsively. His eyes roved over the expanse of golden, muscled pectorals, which rippled enticingly as Sirius paced angrily back and forth and gesticulated with his toned arms. The smattering of hair that led like an arrow to where Sirius' jeans showed that he wasn't wearing any pants underneath them, and Remus glanced away desperately from the view, his mouth suddenly dry, as he tried to will the rising erection away.

He suddenly remembered that they had been in the middle of a conversation, and shook his head lightly to rid himself of the fog of arousal. "We'll do something about that, mate. But for fuck sake, you can't just lose your shit any time something makes you angry."

"Well if I didn't you wouldn't have a job, Moony. What would you do if you didn't have to calm me down? You'd have so much free time." Sirius quipped sarcastically, Remus knew it was meant as a joke to calm them both down but Sirius' boiling anger added a sharp bite to the otherwise harmless words. Remus just rolled his eyes and grasped Sirius' shoulders, steering him to take a seat on the nearest sofa.

"Look, Sirius, I'm gonna send this message to Fawley and he'll do what he can. I'm sure there's some way we can protest to Dumbledore heading the hearing up. Get the Minister to chair it or something, she'd be a much better choice; she's fair and was a Ravenclaw. She'll listen to everything and make a rational decision." Sirius was visibly calming as Remus outlined the plan and Remus inwardly rolled his eyes at himself for how well he knew to calm down his best mate.

"I fucking hate that man, Moony."

"I know, Pads, me too. Go get dressed whilst I owl Maroculus, and then we'll go visit Alice and Frank." Sirius nodded, disappearing up the stairs whilst Remus sat down briefly to write a letter to Maroculus to get Dumbledore removed as Chief Warlock for Peter's trial.

Remus had just sent Micro off with the letter when Sirius came back downstairs, dressed in robes for once instead of muggle clothing.

"Shall we go?" Remus asked, gesturing to the door with his head, Sirius clenched his jaw, looking over at the scroll on the kitchen table, before nodding his head curtly and following Remus out the front door. Remus did some subtle transfigurations on Sirius' face to make him unrecognisable as himself, just before they apparated away.

* * *

 **6** **th** **December 1981  
1:26pm  
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Spell Damage Ward – London**

They hurried up to the fourth floor, and the spell damage ward where Alice and Frank still were, nearly making it past the welcome witch who was sure to stop them. Unfortunately, she spotted them trying to hurry past, and called out to them.

"Who are you here to see?" Her voice cracked across the quiet waiting room like a whip and stopped the two Marauders in their tracks. They spun on their heels and both pasted on their most charming smiles, something they were used to from their Maraudering days with James. The witch in the lime green robes with silver trim – the mark of a junior Healer – frowned at them, unconvinced. She gestured them over sharply with a flick of her fingers.

"Good afternoon…" Sirius drawled with an attractive smile, leaning on the welcome desk at a relaxed angle and letting his tousled hair fall artfully over his face. He glanced down to her nametag to check and offered her a sly wink, "Dermia."

She merely raised an eyebrow at Sirius' flirting and turned her attention to the more rational looking of the two, Remus. Of course, Remus could flirt just as well as Sirius and James after spending ten years of his life friends with them. He offered her a faux-shy smile and leaned both crossed arms on the desk beside Sirius, making eye contact and letting his smile spread slightly into a genuine one and letting his eyes drop briefly to her lips.

She huffed and rolled her eyes but her cheeks turned slightly red as she tried to bluster past Remus' apparently sincere flirting, "Who are you here for?" She finally managed to squeak out, not able to stop her eyes from dropping to check out the way that the muscles in Remus' arms rippled and flexed as he leant on the desk. Sirius found himself admiring them too, only just managing to tear his eyes away from them when Remus flicked his own gaze to Sirius briefly.

"We're here to see Frank and Alice Longbottom, they're good friends of ours and we heard what happened to them." Remus said sincerely, letting his genuine worry for his friends infuse his tone.

"Okay." Dermia looked down at the blank parchment in front of her and pressed the tip of her wand against the centre; speaking clearly, she intoned, "Frank and Alice Longbottom." Words filled the page, looking like gobbledegook to Sirius and Remus, but clearly making sense to Dermia.

Before she had a chance to deny or grant them entry, Remus spoke up again, "They're the only friends we have left after the war. James and Lily Potter were our best friends but they're gone now," Remus knew he was laying it on a bit thick, but he still let the sincere pain over the Potters deaths overflow into his words.

"Oh! You poor thing!" Dermia exclaimed, Sirius didn't miss that she left him out, only having eyes for Remus. He rolled his eyes and tuned the two out as they started up a conversation about something that lost his interest completely. He was interrupted from his daydream by Remus elbowing him in the stomach.

"What?!" He coughed out, nearly doubling over with the pain Remus' sharp elbow caused.

"We can go through," Remus explained on a laugh, pulling Sirius away from the desk with a yank as he walked past, throwing a smile back at Dermia as they left.

"Can't believe she preferred you!" Sirius complained as they headed through the magically opening doors into the corridor leading to the outpatient area, "You're not even straight!" He complained, stomping ahead of Remus, who rolled his eyes.

"I'm bi, Sirius. Definitely means I'm still attracted to women." Remus said as he chuckled at Sirius' pout.

"I know!"

"And you're pansexual."

"I know!"

"So why are you complaining?"

"I don't know!" Sirius was lying of course; he knew exactly why he was annoyed, but he wasn't going to just come out and admit that he was half in love with Remus and seeing him flirt with someone else had made him insanely jealous. He didn't want to lose Remus' friendship.

Remus snorted, yanking Sirius to a stop before he walked past the room that Frank and Alice were in. He pushed Sirius to sit in the chairs lining the hallway before heading over to the door to their private room and knocking lightly. He backed up a step, and only had to wait a few moments before the door swung open and Harfang Longbottom stood on the other side. He stared at Remus, and then Sirius, for a second before turning back into the room and gesturing to someone. Remus took another step back as Callidora Longbottom came sweeping out, a smile on her attractive face.

"Remus Lupin and…" She paused for a second, staring at Sirius with narrowed eyes, "Ah… cousin. I see you've been more careful about going out in public with your own face."

"Why do you believe that I'm innocent?" Sirius asked as Callidora took a seat next to Sirius outside the room. Remus shifted awkwardly, not used to seeing Sirius acting so pureblood, Callidora glanced at him when he shifted and waved her hand at the door to the room, assuring him that he could go in. Remus nodded and Sirius smiled at him, gesturing that he'd be in in a minute.

"Cousin. Of all our family members that I would suspect of selling his best friends, and godson to Voldemort, you are the last." She looked frankly at Sirius, until he looked away from her forgiving gaze, "You are a good man, Sirius Black. I know this and I barely know you. Why would I doubt whether you were innocent or not?"

"I…" Sirius swallowed painfully past the sudden lump in his throat, "I feel guilty. I was the one who suggested that Pettigrew should be the secret keeper." He admitted, not looking her in the eyes; she reminded him so much of her cousin; the woman he had considered his mother – Dorea Potter.

"You aren't guilty, cousin. He is. How were you to know that he was a Death Eater?" Sirius opened his mouth to angrily retort that he should have known, but Callidora held up her hand and stopped him before he could say anything, "You _didn't_ know. You _couldn't_ have known. What is happening with Pettigrew? Where is he?"

"At the Ministry," Sirius told her, finally looking into her eyes and seeing the pride that he'd always wanted to see from Walburga, and had been inundated with by Dorea and Charlus. "Me and Moony – Remus – found him late last night and got our Auror ally Maroculus Fawley to take him in."

Callidora smiled down at him, amused, "You are more Slytherin than you would like to admit, cousin. When is his trial?"

"We don't know yet." Sirius responded, choosing to ignore the comment about being Slytherin, "Dumbledore is going to interfere, and try and get Pettigrew proven innocent, though." He ground out, pulling the letter from Dumbledore from an interior pocket of his robe; he hadn't been able to stop himself from grabbing it as they left Remus' earlier.

Callidora took it from him, and he watched as her lips thinned and her eyes blazed with anger, so similar to Dorea, as she read through the letter.

"What is being done about this?" She finally snapped, handing the scroll back to Sirius with anger-shaking hands. She rose delicately from her seat, stalking back and forth before Sirius for a few paces, before whirling towards him, and staring him down, "Well?!" She demanded.

Sirius told her about the note Remus had sent Maroculus and she "Hmm'd", resuming her pacing in front of Sirius as her brain turned over plans. "The Longbottom and Black families will be throwing their weight behind this trial to make sure it goes ahead correctly." She finally decided, spinning in place until she faced the door to the room Alice and Frank were in, "Leave it to me, cousin." She said, before sweeping back into the room.

Sirius sat for a few seconds with wide eyes, hoping brewing in his chest, with the weight of two such influential families behind him, there was much more chance of ensuring the trial went in their favour.

Callidora breezed back out of the room, her husband, son, daughter, and daughter-in-law in tow. "I will be organising a Black family meeting for the morning of the 9th, Sirius. That's this approaching Wednesday. I expect you as the only surviving Black heir to be there."

"I'm not the only surviving Black heir," He revealed, causing Callidora to turn to him with an incredulous stare.

"Excuse me? Regulus is still alive?"

Sirius winced briefly, "No. I have a son." He admitted, inwardly smirking at the looks of shock on the faces of the three witches, and two wizards in front of him.

"You do? And he is registered as the heir, correct?" Callidora asked, putting her full attention on Sirius again. "I know that Walburga tried to disown you, but as she was not the patriarch or matriarch of the family at the time, and you were the current heir, it did not work. You will need to instate your son as heir now, cousin."

"I have." Sirius admitted, it was one of the first things he had done after feeding Harry the blood adoption potion that transformed him permanently into Alphard.

"His mother?"

"Dead. Marlene McKinnon." He admitted, letting the sadness wash over him and away. Callidora offered him a consoling smile.

"I'm sorry for your loss, cousin."

"Will you be inviting Andromeda and her daughter even though they're disowned?" Sirius asked to avoid the pain thinking about Marlene brought.

"Of course." Callidora affirmed, "All Blacks who are still sane, and have a semblance of good in them, will be invited." Sirius nodded his acquiescence to this plan and she smiled kindly at him. "You will need to reinstate them as part of the family once your name is cleared, cousin."

"We'll see you Wednesday." He avowed, narrowing his eyes for a second at Callidora's knowing look, "Yes I will be bringing Remus with me." A slow smile spread across her face and he could see the calculating gleam in her eyes as she began plotting what Sirius assumed was some hare-brained matchmaking scheme. He sighed, knowing he'd have to stop her, he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Remus.

"Very well." She nodded. "You can go in," She changed the subject, nodding towards Alice and Frank's room before turning on her heel and sweeping away down the corridor with her family following her. Sirius swallowed, and turned to the room. Gathering his Gryffindor courage, he pushed the door open and stepped in.


	12. Explanations

" _You can go in," She changed the subject, nodding towards Alice and Frank's room before turning on her heel and sweeping away down the corridor with her family following her. Sirius swallowed, and turned to the room. Gathering his Gryffindor courage, he pushed the door open and stepped in._

 **6** **th** **December 1981  
2:49pm  
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Spell Damage Ward – London**

The private room was just as sterile smelling as the rest of the hospital – a result of the cleaning potions used to decontaminate the whole place, no doubt. Remus was sitting in a chair beside Alice's bed, chatting quietly to the awake woman, when Sirius entered.

Sirius settled into the other empty chair in the room, between Frank and Alice's beds. Remus raised a questioning eyebrow at the Black and Alice turned to him with a large smile.

"Thank you, Sirius." She reached out her hand, and grasped his closest hand in it. "If you and Remus hadn't arrived when you did then Neville would never have known his parents." Sirius clasped her cool hand between his, and clutched it tightly, not wanting to consider how distraught he would've been if he'd lost another two friends as well.

There was a groan from the bed the other side of Sirius, and the three other occupants of the room turned quickly to see Frank pushing himself into a seated position in his bed.

"How are you feeling, love?" Alice asked desperately, leaning forward to see round Sirius.

"Sore, but fine apart from that," Frank responded, his voice a croak from lack of use. Alice let out a thankful sob, and collapsed back into her soft pillows with relief. Remus and Sirius let out twin sighs at the revelation that both their friends were going to be okay.

"Well." Alice finally spoke up, adjusting herself a bit on the bed before pinning Sirius and Remus with stern looks. "What's been happening? Why did you show up at ours?"

"Alice…"

"No Frank. We need to know, and we need to know now." She shot her husband a stern look and he closed his mouth, sending Sirius and Remus looks that told them they were on their own now.

"Alice-" Remus tried but he was shot the same look.

"Remus Lupin, I need to know."

It was Sirius who finally broke the tense silence that had settled over the room briefly, "Do you know what happened on Halloween?" He asked tentatively, avoiding looking at either Alice or Frank.

Alice and Frank frowned at each other, and shook their heads.

"Well-" Sirius broke off to clear his suddenly choked up throat, "Lily, James and Harry were killed by Voldemort on Halloween." Sirius felt a scream building in his throat, choking him with emotions he didn't want to feel, and held up a hand to stop a horrified Alice from interrupting, "I need to get this out, Alice. Peter was their secret keeper, we switched because I thought he'd be the least obvious choice. Turns out that he's a Death Eater, and I handed them to Voldemort. We've found Pettigrew now, and he's been handed over to the Aurors. Fawley is our ally." Frank and Alice nodded their understanding, having been in The Order, and DMLE, with Maroculus Fawley. "Dumbledore sent a letter to Remus, he believes that I'm guilty and has said he's going to do what he can to make sure that Pettigrew is proven innocent. We've asked Fawley to make sure that the Minister is the one who chairs the trial, and not Dumbledore. Your grandmother is calling a Black family meeting so that we can throw as many different family's names and weights, behind making sure that Pettigrew is convicted, as possible."

"Merlin." Frank exclaimed after a few minutes' silence where he and his wife digested the outpouring of information.

"Well, I'm glad Callidora is getting involved. She can be a scary woman." Alice smirked, winking at Frank who huffed and rolled his eyes at his wife.

"All the Black women are." Sirius said with a chuckle, trying to break the tense atmosphere that had built in the room after the explanation. Remus grinned back at the smirking Animagus, and Frank and Alice snickered. The Black women's shrewd influence, and doggedness to help their family, was as notorious as the Black family madness in the Wizarding world.

Alice suddenly sat up, ignoring the shooting pain that spiked through her when she moved wrong, "Did you say Harry is dead?" She asked Sirius, her voice breaking, as tears welled in her eyes. Her mind drifted to her own son, who would have inevitably been in the same awful situation if Sirius and Remus hadn't rescued them.

Remus and Sirius exchanged a brief glance and, after some silent communication that only the closest of friends or lovers could achieve, decided to tell their closest friends left alive about Harry. Remus pulled out his wand, and with a few careful flicks, set up notice-me-not, and _muffliato_ charms, and some warning hexes and jinxes if anyone managed to get past the notice-me-not.

Sirius stood from his chair, pacing back and forth in the space at the end of Alice and Frank's beds. He finally decided to just blurt it out instead of beating around the bush; one of his traits that had got him in more trouble than he cared to admit throughout the course of his life so far. "Harry isn't dead, Alice."

Alice and Frank both stared in confusion at Sirius, not comprehending the contradictory information in their flustered state. When Sirius offered them nothing more than a nervous stare, they both glanced over at Remus who smiled reassuringly.

"Siri- What- I mean? How!?" Alice finally managed to get out past her incredulousness.

"Well, the Harry Potter that you knew no longer exists. But he wasn't killed by Voldemort." When Sirius was met with blank looks he elaborated, "I arrived and Harry was still alive; he was the reason that Voldemort died. I transfigured a blanket to make it look like Harry had died there because I knew that Dumbledore would never give Harry to me, like he would be supposed to – he would've taken Harry to his relatives, and you know how awful they are."

Alice nodded angrily, remembering the awful Dursleys she'd met at Lily's wedding. "What do you mean he no longer exists?" She asked with a frown.

"I blood adopted him two days ago, he's biologically mine and Marlene's son now, Alphard James Black."

"Oh, Sirius." Alice had been close friends with Marlene too, and had known how much Sirius loved her. The girl's death had hit The Order hard; especially The Marauders, Lily, and the Longbottoms. She reached out from her bed for him and, after only a moment of hesitation, he flung himself into her arms, sobs wrenching out of his chest as he thought of his dead girlfriend, brother, and friends.

Remus moved over to sit beside Frank, and they chatted quietly. Alice encouraged Sirius to vent all his pain for her, rubbing his back soothingly as he wept into her chest, his hot tears soaking her hospital issued duvet and gown. When Sirius managed to pull himself together into some semblance of normality, nearly an hour later, he and Remus had to leave their friends in the hospital, with promises to see them before Wednesday, to collect Alphard from Andromeda's.

 **6** **th** **December 1981  
4:30pm  
Andromeda and Ted Tonks house – Nottingham, Nottinghamshire**

They appeared outside the Tonks' residence with a crack, Sirius taking a moment to smooth out the robes he was still wearing, trying to calm himself from his outpouring of emotions mere minutes before. Remus shifted for a moment, psyching himself up for looking after a one-year-old, before knocking on the door.

When they heard pounding footsteps in the house, Sirius grinned, knowing it was his young cousin. Just as the footsteps stopped in front of the door, there was a shout from within the house of, "Nymphadora Tonks! Don't you open that!" Remus and Sirius shared amused glances, and waited whilst another set of footsteps approached the door. With their enhanced hearing, both could hear through most silencing charms, unless they were specifically cast to block Animagi or Werewolf hearing.

A moment later the door swung open to reveal Andromeda, and Nymphadora standing on the other side. Andromeda's mouth started to spread in a smile, but she faltered when she saw how wrung out and emotional Remus and Sirius looked.

"Come in. You book look tired." She stepped back out of the way, and they stepped in past her. Sirius nodding his head to agree with her assessment.

"How's Alphard?" Sirius asked as he took a seat in the living room, throwing off his robes and nodding politely at Ted Tonks – Andromeda's husband – who was sitting flicking through the Daily Prophet. "Hey Ted, how's things?"

Ted chuckled, folding up the paper as Remus took a seat beside Sirius, looking unsure. "Evening, Sirius. Remus, right?" Remus nodded. "Alphard is upstairs asleep. I'm amazed Andromeda's shouting didn't rouse him to be honest."

"Oh honestly, Theodore." She snapped as she sat in the other chair in the room, leaving Nymphadora to flop onto the floor and carry on flicking through the book she had left to run to the door. "If you managed to stop your wayward daughter from rushing to the door every time someone knocked, like a common dog, then maybe I wouldn't have to shout."

Ted chuckled at his wife and turned to Sirius and Remus with a conspiratorial look, "She only calls Dora 'my daughter' when she thinks she's doing something naughty because I'm Muggleborn, and wasn't raised as a 'proper' Pureblood." He winked when they both looked slightly shocked, and confused over the implication that Andromeda looked down on him for being Muggleborn.

Andromeda huffed, "Oh honestly, Ted. It's Nymphadora-"

"No, it's not!" Piped said girl from the floor, her parents ignored her.

"-And stop confusing the poor men. You were the one in here with her, you bloody annoying man, that's why I wanted you to stop her unruly behaviour."

"I know, love." Ted smirked at his wife, who looked taken aback at him managing to fool her.

Sirius let out a breath, "Oh thank Merlin, I thought you were suddenly like the rest of our family, Andie." Said woman chuckled, and rolled her eyes.

"Definitely not. Thank Circe."

"Do you want to stay for dinner, boys?" Ted suddenly asked, raising a questioning eyebrow at them both, "Alphard is asleep so you don't have to worry about him."

"I think I need to go home and sleep for the next year." Sirius admitted, and Remus nodded in agreement beside him, he smiled apologetically at Andromeda and Ted, who just chuckled.

"Though we do have some news to impart," Remus reminded Sirius, "We have captured Pettigrew."

"Already?!" Andromeda leant forward in her chair, surprise colouring her tone. "Where was he?"

"At the Weasley's home, disguised in his rat form. We were lucky to find him so quickly." Remus admitted, leaning forward to grab a cup of tea from the tray that had just appeared, and taking a fortifying sip.

"His rat form?" Ted asked, looking both disgusted and intrigued.

"He's an illegal Animagus. He takes the shape of a rat." Sirius admitted, leaving out the fact that he was an Animagus too, "That form really should've been a giveaway that he was going to betray us." He scowled, not wanting to think about all the mistakes he had made.

Andromeda, ever the sensible and level-headed Slytherin, relaxed back in her chair and assessed the looks on The Marauders' faces, "What's happening now? Neither of you look remotely happy about having captured him."

"We gave him to Maroculus Fawley, the Auror, he's an ally of ours now," Ted and Andromeda nodded, remembering him from The Order. Andromeda stopped Remus before he could continue with the explanation, sending Nymphadora out of the room. When the young girl left with a pout, Andromeda gestured for him to continue.

Sirius picked up where Remus had stopped, "He's going to let us know a trial date when there is one."

"Why do you both look so aggrieved then?" Ted asked, grabbing a cup of tea too and taking a hearty sip.

Sirius growled, and pulled the scroll from his robes again, glaring down at Dumbledore's threatening words. He handed it to Ted who read it, and handed it to his wife with a furious scowl, a look that didn't belong on his perpetually kind face. As Andromeda read it her eyes widened, and her fists clenched on the edges of the parchment, crinkling the thick velum slightly.

"What the fuck!" She exclaimed quietly, her words laced with venom and sounding all the scarier for how quiet they were. "What's being done about this?" She hissed, handing the scroll back to Sirius before she ripped it up, and set it on fire.

Sirius smirked, and Andromeda narrowed her eyes at him, suddenly suspicious, "There is going to be a Black family meeting called."

"What?" Her voice was hoarse with shock.

"Callidora Longbottom will be calling it. We are going to throw as many different families behind making sure Pettigrew is prosecuted as possible."

"Right." Andromeda didn't look convinced as she took a gulp of her lukewarm tea, worry marring her features, "and our crazy family members? Your grandfather, Pollux, Bellatrix, your _mother_ for Morgana's sake! What about them?"

"Callidora isn't going to invite them. I'm sure she'll be intelligent about who she invites, Andie." Sirius snickered as he rose from the couch, arching into a stretch that made his back click. Remus swallowed thickly, dragging his gaze away from the muscled stomach, and tantalising trail of dark hair that Remus wanted to drag his tongue down, that was revealed when Sirius stretched.

"We should go, Sirius." Remus finally spoke up from where he had been listening on the couch, also rising to his feet, and placing his empty mug on the table, "We need to get some sleep before the craziness of the next few weeks."

"True, Moony." Sirius shook Ted's hand when the latter stood as well, patting him companionably on the shoulder before drawing Andromeda into a hug, surprising her, "Andie, don't worry about it. It's all gonna be good."

"I'll go fetch Alphard." Ted said as he left the room. Nymphadora came back into the room to say goodbye, and Remus exchanged an awkward – on his end – hug with Andromeda.

"The meeting is on Wednesday. I'm sure Callidora will be contacting you about it, Andie. Dora will be invited too," Sirius ruffled said girl's hair, and it turned a blinding gold as she grinned up at him. Ted hurried back down the stairs, a now awake Alphard blinking in his arms. He handed Sirius' son to Remus who took him gladly, and the two Marauders left the Tonks residence, feeling lighter.

 **6** **th** **December 1981  
7pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

When they arrived back at the cottage there was an owl waiting impatiently on the front windowsill. It swooped towards them as soon as they arrived, and dropped its missive on Remus' head. Sirius chuckled, and reached out to pick up the scroll from where it had fallen to the floor. He unravelled it, and his eyes widened at the contents.


	13. News

_When they arrived back at the cottage there was an owl waiting impatiently on the front windowsill. It swooped towards them as soon as they arrived, and dropped its missive on Remus' head. Sirius chuckled, and reached out to pick up the scroll from where it had fallen to the floor. He unravelled it, and his eyes widened at the contents._

 **6** **th** **December 1981  
7pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

Remus followed Sirius curiously in through the front door of the cottage. He took a seat on the couch, Alphard alert in his arms now, and Sirius sat opposite him. "What's it say, Padfoot?"

"Fawley has spoken to the Minister, she's going to head up the trial because it's so high profile, but she's said she won't be able to stop Dumbledore from attending. She also said that it'll be used as a reason to investigate me too. Fawley has expounded on that." Sirius handed Remus the letter so he could read the rest over for himself.

"So, you and I are both going to be requested to attend. Me to give evidence, and you to be tried if Pettigrew is found innocent, and to give evidence. He-" Remus' eyes skipped a few sentences ahead in the letter. He had to visibly calm himself, the gold in his eyes showing how close to the surface the wolf was. He reminded himself that Maroculus wasn't the bad guy, "He says that if you don't go the Ministry are going to take it as an admission of guilt and release a warrant for your arrest." Remus clenched his teeth, ever conscious of the young boy in his arms. His anger echoed by the fury simmering in Sirius' almost silver eyes. "What the fuck, Padfoot! That can't be legal."

"It fucking isn't!" The Animagus finally burst out, jumping from his seat and shocking Alphard into crying, "Fuck!" He exclaimed much quieter, striding round the coffee table, and pulling his wailing son out of Remus' arms. He paced around the room, shushing Alphard quietly as he went, until he quieted into slumber. "We're gonna carry this on in a minute," He informed Remus, before hurrying upstairs, and putting the emotionally-exhausted Alphard down for a nap.

"We're just gonna have to really bloody hope that the Black family meeting turns something up," Remus reasoned when Sirius stormed back downstairs.

"Yeah." Sirius let out an aggrieved sigh, sitting back down and summoning the bottle of firewhisky and glasses from the kitchen. He sloshed two fingers of the strong alcohol into each glass, and passed one to Remus. The two remaining Marauders miserably saluted each other, clinking their glasses together, "To Prongs and Lily," Sirius said in a choked voice, downing his alcohol. Remus followed suit, wincing at the reminder.

As much as they both wanted to keep drinking their sorrows away, drowning the pain of the loss of Lily and James, and everyone else who had died in the war with the help of the firewhisky, Remus knew they needed to have a frank talk about Lily and James being gone. Now was as good a time as any.

"Padfoot." Sirius looked up from contemplating the bottom of his glass. He flinched at the serious look in Remus' eyes and looked away.

"Moony. I can't talk about that now."

"When _are_ we gonna talk about it, Pads?" Remus sighed, leaning back in his chair. Sirius kept his eyes away from Remus, frowning angrily. "Padfoot. We can't just keep bottling this up."

"NEVER!" Sirius snapped, jumping up from his seat, "I can bottle up whatever the fuck I want, Moony!"

"Pads!" Remus rose to his feet too, trying to control the anger boiling in him, "We're talking about this now, Padfoot!" Sirius growled furiously, and moved as though to escape the house, and the conversation. Remus was quicker though, and with a wave of his wand the doors in the house had locked, and he had disarmed Sirius.

"MOONY!" Sirius roared, spinning to face Remus heatedly.

Remus just frowned and stood his ground, not at all intimidated or scared by Sirius' infamous Black temper. "Sirius! Talk to me for fuck sake. We've got no one else." Sirius was silent for what felt like twenty minutes, standing stock still, glowering, and refusing to look in Remus' direction. "Siriu-"

Remus was interrupted by Sirius breaking out of his reverie, and finally looking at Remus. "Exactly, _Moony._ We have NO ONE ELSE. Prongs is dead. Lily is dead. Harry is never going to be Harry again. And Peter _fucking_ Pettigrew is a traitor. What the fuck are we supposed to do now!? I barely survived Dorea and Charlus' death's, Moony. How do I survive Prongs'?"

"Pads- I'm sorry. I-"

"He was my _brother_ in everything but blood, Moony. HE'S GONE!" Sirius collapsed to the floor, his fists clenched tightly, tears falling from his eyes to glisten where they landed on the oak floorboards. "I'm alone! I HAVE NO ONE!" Sirius' face crumpled in on itself, his considerable pain and fury visible. Remus' heart, which was already strained, broke at the sight of Sirius breaking into pieces.

Remus dropped to the floor beside Sirius, pulling him into his arms and holding him close. "You have me, Padfoot. You have me. I'm here, I promise."

Sirius grabbed a hold of Remus' arms tightly, his voice a hoarse whisper when he finally spoke after minutes of sobbing. "I know, Moony. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Pads." Remus pulled Sirius to his feet with him and poured them both a healthy serving of firewhisky. He handed one of the glasses to Sirius and they both downed the contents like it was a cool glass of water after weeks of thirst. Each subsequent glass was used to toast their fallen friends, and family.

 **10:14pm  
Remus Lupin's cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk**

By the time the bottle was empty, and both men were thoroughly pissed, it was dark outside and the clock Remus had in the kitchen had ticked past 10pm. Sirius was draped over the armchair he had started in, his head hanging over the edge of one arm, one leg up and resting against the back of the chair and the other slung over the opposite arm. He had one arm flung over his eyes and the other hand was still clutching his empty glass, hanging limply off the side of the chair onto the floor.

Remus was not in a better position by any standards, though the werewolf could hold his liquor better than his best friend, the half bottle of firewhisky, and high-strung emotions, had gotten to him. He was passed out on the floor between the sofa, and the footstool. He was on his front, his arms flung wide and his face pressed sideways against the floor, facing Sirius. Drool was dribbling out of the side of his mouth, and he was snoring quietly.

A loud shout of "Dad!" from upstairs caused Remus to snort awake, and Sirius to jolt to sudden awareness, twisting in his position and spinning onto the floor with a loud thump. The two stared at each for a second before both leaping to their feet, swaying slightly as the alcohol still in their system caused them to stumble.

"Wha' was tha'?" Sirius asked incoherently, his wand held limply in the hand that wasn't still clutching his empty glass.

Remus swung around in a wobbly circle, also looking for the source of the noise, "No idea." He finally responded when nothing made itself immediately obvious.

"DAAAAAD!" Both men jumped, and spun towards the stairs when Alphard shouted again. They exchanged horrified glances. Sirius was making panicked noises, so Remus took matters into his own hands, hurrying to the downstairs toilet and grabbing two small phials of sober-up potion from the cabinet. He pushed one towards the still panicking Sirius when he made it back to the living room, and they both downed the bottles together.

"Bollocks!" Sirius exclaimed when they were both sober again. He looked himself and Remus over quickly, and with an ashamed swipe of his wand, they no longer looked so rumpled – or like they had just been drunk.

"Why the hell did we let ourselves get so drunk when we're in charge of a kid, Padfoot?" Remus asked angrily as they both hurried their way up the stairs to reach Alphard, before he shouted the house down. Neither of them pointed out that it was their argument about Lily and James, and Sirius' subsequent breakdown, that had led to the excessive drinking.

"I'm starting to think Lily was right that I wouldn't make a good father," The pureblooded wizard quipped back as they entered Alphard's room, and Sirius drew his very awake son into his arms. "Hi, mini-Prongs."

"Hi!" Alphard exclaimed, reaching up grabby hands and tangling them in Sirius' shoulder-length hair. The Animagus winced, but did nothing to stop the boy.

"Shouldn't we be calling him mini-Pads now?" Remus asked rhetorically as he followed Sirius back down the stairs, and into the kitchen, where the former put Alphard in his highchair, and then went about preparing dinner for the three wizards.

"No." He responded simply, "I want one thing to remember James by. Something that's not painful to look at, or think about." Sirius refused to look at Remus as he explained himself, busying his hands with chopping vegetables for the stir fry he was starting. Remus made a noise of understanding and agreement, knowing not to push Sirius any further, and sat down beside Alphard who immediately started babbling at Remus about something that the werewolf only half understood.

The two men finally managed to get themselves and Alphard fed, Alphard back down to sleep, and the kitchen and living room tidied by 12am, by which time the two exhausted men collapsed back in the living room to finish discussing Maroculus' letter. Both men had decided to move on from their earlier breakdowns, and not mention them again – at least for the evening.

Remus crossed his arms over his chest as he leant back in the chair he was sitting in, flicking his wand towards the fireplace and igniting a fire in the grate to heat up the suddenly cold house. "So, who holds the Wizengamot seat for the Blacks?"

"Arcturus, my grandfather on my father's side. He's the current Head of House, it will pass to me when he dies." Sirius supplied the information with no prior thought needed; learning his family tree had been something he'd been made to do before he turned five. It was expected as the heir of The Ancient and Noble House of Black – he could list his family tree going back ten generations if asked.

"Will he be on your side?"

"Definitely. Grandfather Arcturus has never been as blood purity obsessed as other members of our house. He was beyond furious when mother tried to get rid of me; that's why I was never truly disowned. Not that father would've let mother do it anyway. Arcturus has always cared more about upholding the Black family name, than maintaining blood purity. He was friends with my great-uncle Marius, who was a squib, before my great-grandfather and great-grandmother, Cygnus II and Violetta, purposefully gave him dragon pox, and then didn't get him treated." Remus looked shocked at the revelations about the Black family being laid upon him, but at the same time he was completely unsurprised at the actions former Blacks had taken to ensure blood purity. He also had a habit of forgetting that Sirius had been raised in such a strict Pureblood life.

"So, Arcturus will be invited to the meeting then? And help prove your innocence?"

"Most definitely. He wouldn't want our house's name sullied by the heir being accused of killing anyone, or going to Azkaban. Especially when my brother is dead and they no longer have a spare." He looked upstairs and Remus knew he was thinking of Alphard, "Well as far as they know, there's no spare. Though it would only take looking at the tapestry to see that I have a son. Arcturus will also be instrumental in convincing other members to vote for Pettigrew's guilt, especially the stoic pureblood ones."

"Who is Callidora going to be inviting then?" Remus settled back onto the sofa, summoning a glass of pumpkin juice from the fridge, and relaxing now that the room had started heating up.

"That's a long list, Moony." Sirius chuckled, relaxing finally too, the warm room removing some of the adrenaline that had been keeping him and Remus going for the last couple of days, and letting his exhaustion wash over him. He knew that he and Remus would probably both be asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows.

"Well, I figured I would need to know if I'm coming on Wednesday, too."

"Right. Well, she's going to invite Arcturus, and his wife Melania. Both of Arcturus' brothers, Lycoris and Regulus, are already dead, and neither of them had kids. Next would be Arcturus' daughter, my aunt, Lucretia and her husband Ignatius Prewett. They don't have kids either and my father, Orion, is dead so next is me and Regulus, who's also dead." Remus politely ignored the way that Sirius' voice choked up when he spoke about his father and brother; he may not have been overly close to his family, but they _were_ still his family, and he had loved them in his own way. "Callidora certainly isn't going to invite my mother. So, working the way down that part of the family tree, Cygnus II is already dead and there is no way Callidora is going to invite Pollux or his wife, both are cruel people, where do you think my mother got it from?" Sirius asked wryly, "Great-aunt Cassiopeia will come, and then Marius and-" Sirius paused for a second, and though Remus wondered who was next on the family tree, he didn't have to wonder long, "Dorea are dead."

Remus' heart clenched in sympathy as he considered James' mother, the woman who had been a second mother to both him and Sirius, and taken them in with open arms. "You alright, Pads?" Remus interrupted, worrying about Sirius' mental state when talking so in-depth about his family.

Sirius nodded and pushed resolutely on, refusing to let the thought of his surrogate mother's untimely demise stop him, "Aunt Cassie doesn't have any kids and we've already established that Pollux's eldest, my mother, isn't going to be invited. Alphard and Cygnus III, my uncles, are both dead as well. Alphard didn't have any kids, and there is no way Callidora's going to invite Cygnus' eldest," When Remus looked at Sirius in confusion the latter shuddered with disgust before explaining himself. "Bellatrix. After she tortured Callidora's grandchild and his wife, I'd be surprised if Callidora didn't try to kill her on sight, or something. She's definitely going to invite Andromeda, Ted and Dora, and I think she'll invite Narcissa, though not Lucius too." Sirius' eyes narrowed as he thought for a moment. "The last lot left are my great-great uncle's, Arcturus II, children and wife. His wife Lysandra is still alive and rather nice, so I think Callidora will invite her – especially considering that Lysandra is her mother. Then obviously Callidora will be coming, as well as Harfang, Algernon, Enid, Frank and Alice, and Neville too probably, considering that Alphard is going to be there."

"Wait," Remus held up his hand, stopping Sirius in his flow for a moment, "Who's who of the Longbottoms? I don't know how the hell you keep this lot straight in your head."

"Harfang is Callidora's husband, Algernon and Enid are her kids, Frank is Algernon's son and you know the rest obviously."

Remus nodded slowly, "Wait, why isn't Algernon's wife invited? That's Augusta, right?"

"It will only be the immediate spouses of Black relatives. Otherwise there would be way too many of us," Sirius chuckled, raising a questioning brow at Remus who nodded his understanding after a moment.

"I may need to get you to write all of these people down, Padfoot."

"Not done yet. Want me to carry on?" Sirius said on a grin, waiting for Remus' nod before launching back into the list. "Right, so Callidora's sister Cedrella will definitely be invited, as well as her husband Septimus Weasley, and their kids Bilius, Arthur and-" Sirius paused for a second, frowning. "Fuck, I always forget the last Weasley, I think he's a squib actually. No one talks to, or about him," Remus' eyebrows raised, that was an odd thing for the Weasleys, who preached tolerance and acceptance, to do.

Sirius nodded in agreement to Remus' silent incredulousness, "I know, it's fucking ridiculous isn't it. The Weasleys stand as pillars of acceptance, and then they shun and turn away their own relations who aren't magic."

"I…" Remus trailed off, "It's just insane. Doesn't even make sense for them to do that."

Sirius shrugged, he was so used to the ways that Purebloods acted, that that kind of behaviour didn't surprise him anymore. Remus rolled his eyes, as Sirius carried on, "Anyway, so he won't be invited. Then there's Arthur Weasley's kids; Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George, Ronald, and Ginevra. I wouldn't be surprised if he left all the kids at home with his wife, who also won't be invited. Then last but not least is Callidora's youngest sister, Charis, who's also dead. Her husband Caspar Crouch is alive though and they had three kids, Bartemius, Lucinda, and Marniette. There's no way she'll invite Bartemius after his son was captured torturing Alice and Frank, but I think that Lucinda and Marniette will both be invited. Lucinda never married, and doesn't have kids, but Marniette married Harold Edgecombe, I think, and they have a daughter called Marietta. So, they'll probably both be invited too."

When Sirius finally slowed to a stop, Remus let out a breath, "That's everyone?" He asked incredulously, having expected the list to be much shorter.

"Yeah, way too many fucking family members." Sirius let out an exhausted sigh, leaning forward to grab the last of Remus' pumpkin juice, and downing it. "Wish that was firewhisky instead."

Remus scoffed, "I think we've probably had enough of that for tonight, Padfoot. Are you related to every other pureblood family in existence?" Remus asked incredulously. Sirius just laughed.

"Most likely," He smirked. Standing from his seat, and stretching his back until it clicked satisfyingly. Remus tried, and failed, not to watch the way that Sirius' shirt rose up to reveal a strip of tanned, muscled flesh that Remus desperately wanted to taste. "Right, fuck being awake. I'm going to bed. Don't wake me before ten." With that Sirius strode off upstairs.

Remus sighed, and looked down at the letter from Maroculus sitting on the footstool in front of him. He stared again at the last sentence of the letter, and pushed down the panic before rising and heading to bed as well. Exhaustion from the lack of sleep over the last few days was catching up with him finally.

The court date has been set for the 2nd of January 1982. I know it's soon, but we must get this sorted out. I'll keep you updated.

Maroculus Fawley.


	14. A Black Meeting

_Remus sighed, and looked down at the letter from Maroculus sitting on the footstool in front of him, he stared again at the last sentence of the letter, and pushed down the panic before rising and heading to bed as well. Exhaustion from the lack of sleep over the last few days catching up with him finally._

The court date has been set for the 2nd of January 1982. I know it's soon, but we must get this sorted out. I'll keep you updated.

Maroculus Fawley.

 **9** **th** **December 1981  
10am  
Longbottom's Loke – Snowdonia, Wales**

The past few days had passed quickly for Sirius and Remus; in a whirl of looking after Alphard, planning for the Black family meeting, and Remus working. Before they knew it, Wednesday, and the meeting, were upon them. Callidora had volunteered the Longbottom ancestral home where she and Harfang lived, now that Frank and Alice had the Manor – as was Frank's birth right as the heir – to be used for the meeting. Harfang hadn't been overly happy with that arrangement, but she had convinced him.

Sirius and Remus were the first to arrive, Alphard in Sirius' arms. They apparated straight onto the grounds in front of the large, and slightly imposing, front door. The wards had been modified to let everyone in for the meeting.

There was a light dusting of snow covering the grounds, though it was melting away into nothing even as they approached the door. The snow was a stark contrast to the overcast, grey day they had left in East Anglia only a few minutes before; snow was a rare, and usually January or February, occurrence in most of the southern parts of the UK after all. Wales, and especially Snowdonia, was an exception to the rule.

Remus lifted his hand to the large knocker on the door and picked it up, letting it swing back with a dull thud that the two canines could hear echoing through the large house. The door swung open almost immediately, and a well-dressed House Elf stood on the other side. It ushered them in, and reached for their cloaks. Both men handed them over, and then followed the elf down a large corridor lined with Longbottom portraits, and into a large meeting room at one end.

Callidora and Harfang were already seated at the table, but they rose to greet their guests when they arrived. "Good morning, boys." Callidora accepted the light kiss in greeting that Sirius bestowed upon her cheek, as was custom. She gestured to the seats opposite Harfang, "You're in the heir's seat, Sirius. Remus, you're beside him." Sirius narrowed his eyes at Callidora's obvious meddling, and resolved to have a talk with her about it later. Remus sat beside Sirius, as the former settled Alphard in his arms more comfortably. Remus didn't see any outward sign from Sirius to show whether he thought it was odd that Callidora had seated Remus in the position usually reserved for the spouse of the heir, but he wished that it was because he was _actually_ the heir's spouse.

Callidora herself took the seat opposite Sirius, to the left of the chair at the head of the table; the seat usually reserved for either the host or the spouse of the Head of House. As the two were not one in the same for once, Callidora had the seat, and Melania would be seated further down the table; where the non-blood relations would be seated. Sirius found the ridiculous pureblood customs easier to settle into than he expected, and suspected that if he even tried to explain all the nuances to his werewolf friend the latter would just tune him out.

"How have you been, Mrs. Longbottom?" Remus asked kindly.

"Please call me Callidora, Mr. Lupin, and I must insist we dispense with the droll niceties. They are awfully boring, don't you find?" She smiled slyly at the two young men, ignoring Harfang rolling his eyes beside her.

"Then I must insist you call me Remus, Callidora." Remus said with a flattered smile, not used to pureblood families, unless they were the Potters, treating him like he was an equal.

"Do you know the exact numbers?" Sirius asked, shifting in his seat to reach out, and take the cup of juice, that a House Elf had just set in front of him for Alphard. The young boy was making grabby hands for it as Sirius brought it closer, smiling softly at his son and eternally grateful that Alphard was cooperating, and being quiet as asked.

"Not entirely." It was Harfang who responded, taking a delicate sip of the wizard's blend tea that had just been set down in front of him. "We know that most people Callie invited will be attending, but not all of the offspring will be coming."

"Is Neville coming? It would be nice for Alphard to be distracted by someone his own age so that he's not bored throughout the meeting."

Callidora nodded, "Alice is going to take him, and any other children that are brought along, into the sitting room down the hall to distract them. I'm sure she'd be happy to take your son too." Callidora's sharp grey eyes assessed the one-year-old in Sirius' arms, from his head of thick black waves, so like every other Black's, to his pale blue-green eyes, so unlike every other Black's. "Are his eyes inherited from his mother?" She asked, looking up at Sirius, their identical grey eyes locking for a moment.

He nodded, running his large hand gently through Alphard's thick hair. It was rare for any Black to possess the traits from the non-Black family members. Narcissa with her sheet of smooth, straight pale blonde hair, Cedrella, Callidora's younger sister, with her bouncy dark red curls, and Cassiopeia with her golden-brown eyes, were all exceptions to the rule that every Black had thick, black wavy or curly hair – wild in some cases, like Bellatrix, Andromeda and Dorea (who Sirius partly blamed for James' awful mess of hair) – and grey eyes somewhere on the spectrum from pale, to silver, to dark.

They didn't have any more chance to talk before others were entering the room in a steady stream. The Weasleys entered together, as did the rest of the Longbottoms, taking their seats when they found the small name plates that Callidora had laid out.

Remus watched silently as everyone entered, noting that he and Sirius were the youngest at their end of the table. Cassiopeia Black, an intimidating woman who looked strikingly like her younger sister Dorea, except for her eyes, took her seat beside Remus and sent him a coy smile that had him blushing and stuttering out a hello. Sirius cackled quietly beside his best friend, winking when Remus shot him a desperate look. He'd forgotten that all Blacks were as shameless as Sirius.

Cedrella and Septimus Weasley were seated next to Callidora and Harfang and Remus noticed that all down the table it was the Black family member, related by blood, who sat closer to the Head of House than their spouse, regardless of gender. Lucretia Prewett took her seat beside Cassiopeia, pulling her husband down beside her, and narrowing her eyes at Lucinda Crouch who sat opposite Ignatius, and was clearly checking the older man out.

Marniette Edgecombe sat next to her sister, a composed Narcissa Malfoy settling coolly on her other side. Remus observed the taciturn greetings between some, and the happier ones between others. Andromeda and Ted had just taken their places the other side of Ignatius, opposite Marniette and Narcissa, and Ted sent Sirius and Remus a thumb's up behind the other guests, whilst Andromeda glared daggers at her younger sister. The Longbottoms – Algernon, Enid and Frank – took seats beside Ted and Narcissa respectively, with Cedrella's sons next to Enid on Callidora's side of the table. Lysandra Black, née Yaxley, Callidora and Cedrella's mother took her seat beside her great-grandson Frank Longbottom gracefully, Harold Edgecombe, seated on her other side shifted in surprise at being seated beside his wife's grandmother.

Alice Longbottom had drifted in earlier, and taken a protesting Alphard from Sirius to join her, Nymphadora, and Marietta Edgecombe – Marniette's daughter – in the sitting room with Neville, Molly Weasley and the brood of Weasley children.

The final two to enter, Arcturus Black and his wife Melania, caused a stir as he strode down the table towards the seat delegated for him as Head of House, whilst Melania took her seat beside Arthur Weasley at the other end of the table.

Arcturus rested a hand lightly on his daughter, Lucretia's, shoulder as he passed her on the way down the table, and clapped Sirius, his heir, on the back as he settled into the plush seat at the head. He turned his unnervingly silver eyes on Callidora. "You called us here, cousin," He started in a deep voice that resonated around the room. "You must have a bloody good reason for calling every member of the Black family together." He paused, and let his eyes drift over those gathered for a moment, "Though I see that Pollux and Walburga aren't here, so I'll amend that to every Black who isn't completely insane."

Callidora didn't shrink under her cousin's gaze, regardless of whether he was the Head of House or not. She sat up straighter in her chair, cleared her throat delicately, and outlined the reason she had called the meeting, "As you will all now know from the Daily Prophet, Peter Pettigrew has been arrested for his role in the murders of the Potters." Almost every eye around the table turned to Sirius and Remus before snapping away. There had been many a surprised, and suspicious, look sent Sirius' direction when some of the Black family members had noticed him in the room. After his disappearance for the last month many people believed that he was either dead, or guilty and in hiding. As he was heir to the House of Black no one had dared to say anything, but Sirius, Remus, and Callidora had all taken note that Arthur Weasley was sending Sirius very wary and suspicious looks.

"Why are we meeting to talk about Pettigrew?" Narcissa snapped from further down the table, sneering at Andromeda when the latter retorted.

"Maybe if you didn't interrupt, _Narcissa_ , then you would find out." Ted put a calming hand on his wife's arm, but she shook him off and pointedly turned her attention back towards Callidora.

"Indeed, thank you Andromeda. I was about to inform you all." Callidora lounged back in her chair, looking to all like she had all the time in the world. "This has shocked a lot of people because they thought that Sirius was the secret keeper for the Potters. This isn't true. Dumbledore is determined, however, that it is correct and that Pettigrew will be proved innocent. Pettigrew is a Death Eater, and when Sirius unknowingly suggested they switch secret keepers as no one would suspect him, Pettigrew used the opportunity to reveal the Potters home to You-Know-Who almost straight away. We've managed to ensure that the Minister will be the Chief of the Wizengamot for the trial, but Dumbledore will still try to prevent the trial from going ahead as much as he can." Callidora made eye contact with the Black family members seated around the table, ensuring that they understood the seriousness of the situation.

"What we propose," Harfang spoke up from beside his wife, leaning forward in his chair in direct contrast to Callidora who still looked relaxed. "Is that every family member here throws the weight of their family name behind ensuring that Pettigrew is pronounced guilty, and Sirius is cleared of all charges."

Callidora made eye contact with Arcturus, who looked intrigued at the proposal and furious that anyone would try to accuse his heir of murder, and consorting with the enemy. "Many of you hold seats in the Wizengamot, especially when we consider that some of you are Sacred Twenty-Eight," She made eye contact around the table with the multiple Black family members who were related to other Sacred Twenty-Eight families, they would be able to have even greater influence over the trial with so many pureblood families married into the Blacks.

"We also have Maroculus Fawley, the Auror, on our side." Sirius spoke up finally, "He's going to talk his Head of House into voting for Pettigrew's guilt. If every family that holds a Wizengamot seat, or could talk to their relatives about voting correctly," Here Sirius looked at his grandmother and Lysandra, whom both nodded curtly, "Then we may be able to prove my innocence, and prevent this family from losing its only heir." Remus resolutely didn't look at Sirius, as he knew his face may give away the lie that Sirius had just sprouted.

"What proof do we have that you're innocent?" Marniette spoke up from her seat, leaning forward to look further up the table at Sirius.

Ignatius, whom Sirius had always been rather close with, interrupted before Sirius could defend himself, "Well, Edgecombe, how about the fact that he was willing to show his face at this meeting? Or, how about, you just shut the hell up and listen, because I'm sure they were about to provide us with proof. The Black family are notorious for their calculating ways after all," Here Ignatius sent a wink at his wife who huffed and flicked his ear lightly, "and I'm sure the illustrious Mrs. Longbottom has a plan."

Callidora smirked at the grin Ignatius sent her way and nodded politely, "Indeed I do. Sirius has willingly provided his untampered memories of the night-"

"I'm sorry, aunt Callidora, but how do you know that they're untampered memories?" Arthur asked, leaning forward in his seat with a frown on his freckled face.

Cedrella, his mother, let out an aggrieved sigh and sent an apologetic look at her sister, "Honestly, Arthur." She muttered angrily.

Andromeda let her head thunk back against the top of her chair as she snapped, "Why don't you shut up and let them bloody finish." She lifted her head, and sent Arthur a scathing look.

He narrowed his eyes but sat back in his seat. Sirius thought he looked ridiculously petulant, "Why should we trust someone who betrayed his friends?" Arthur snapped sullenly, but still clear enough for everyone to hear.

"Be quiet, grandson. You are not a Black, and you insult our family every time you open your mouth." Lysandra Black's voice cut like a silencing spell through the brewing argument between Andromeda and Arthur. Remus was surprised – out of all the family members he was expecting to fight, it wasn't those two.

Callidora sighed and held up a hand to stop the retort clearly brewing in Arthur, "I know, nephew, because I'm not stupid, and I'm able to recognise tampered memories very easily. I will also show you the memories with Sirius' permission, and you will be able to see for yourself that they are untampered." Callidora paused, clearly waiting for another interruption. When there were finally no more disruptions from anyone round the table, Callidora drew her wand and with a complex piece of – slightly dark – magic she played Sirius' memories for the room to see.

"Now," Harfang said, once the memories had finished, sitting forward again and picking up his cold tea. "Who is willing to help?"

There was silence for a few seconds before Lucretia voiced her assent. Other voices around the table joined in, until it was only Arcturus who hadn't offered a word since the beginning. Callidora turned to the Black Head of House, and raised a silent eyebrow. He offered her nothing for a moment so she turned to Sirius and nodded her head imperceptibly. Sirius rose from the table, and fetched Alphard from the sitting room, carrying his son back to his seat at the table. He caused a stir as he walked back into the room with his son on his hip.

"Grandfather," Sirius started as he sat down, adjusting Alphard on his lap, "This is my son and heir, Alphard James Black."

Arcturus examined the child briefly before a slightly unnerving smile spread across his face, "I will help. If there are two heirs for the title, then the Black family is secure and I will not have the meddling headmaster of Hogwarts take that away from us." He stood from his seat. Not even past his 100th birthday yet, Arcturus Black was still in his prime; with thick Black hair, peppered with silver and white, and bright silver eyes. "We have a lot of power in Wizarding Britain, I think it's time we used some of it. I will coordinate over plans with Callidora. You are all dismissed."

Callidora and Harfang didn't make a noise of protest over Arcturus being the one to dismiss everyone in their house. As the Black family members streamed out of the room there was more chatter than when everyone had arrived, though Sirius noticed Narcissa looking lost as she stood from the table. His heart ached for the cousin he had once been close to. He made a split-second decision, and, after handing Alphard to Remus, he careened round the table, and came to a stop beside her before she could leave.


	15. Finalising Plans

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for all your reviews on the last chapter! You guys are amazing! Sorry for the long wait, it was my mum's wedding this weekend and I made the cake, so I've been very busy!**

 **I've just updated this chapter (and all the ones before it!) and there two new scenes in this chapter and a new one in chapter 13!**

 _Sirius noticed Narcissa looking lost as she stood from the table. His heart ached for the cousin he had once been close with. He made a split-second decision, and, after handing Alphard to Remus, he careened round the table, and came to a stop beside her before she could leave._

 **9** **th** **December 1981  
12:30pm  
Longbottom's Loke – Snowdonia, Wales**

"Cissa, wait." He panted, bending slightly to catch his breath. He was glad that he'd left Alphard with Remus for the time being; though he could see his grandfather eyeing his best friend oddly and he wasn't sure he liked that.

"Sirius."

"Cissa, the war's over. We can go back to being friends." Sirius rounded the woman, who was standing stock still, and resolutely not looking at him, "Blood purity shouldn't matter anymore."

"You loathe my husband, Sirius. Why should we give you the time of day?"

"Because your husband doesn't own you. You said you'd help me, that you'd get the Malfoy name behind me." Sirius stared at Narcissa intently, trying to read her body language – damn Slytherins and their stoicness. "You must not hate me."

"Sirius-"

"Cissa. You have a son, right? When this is over I'm sure he and Alphard will be great friends." Sirius grinned at her, feeling triumphant when her lips twitched slightly, and she finally made eye contact with him.

"I would like that." He winked at her and turned to leave. Her hand shot out as if independent to her body, and grasped his arm before he could step away. When he turned around again she was staring at her hand as if it had betrayed her.

"Cissa?"

"I miss my older sister, Sirius. Talk to her for me?" Narcissa avoided his gaze as he stared at her for a moment, and then turned to make eye contact with Andromeda, who was still seated at the table and seemed to have just looked away from intently watching his and Narcissa's interaction. He smiled widely, and turned back to Narcissa with a grin on his face that made her narrow her eyes suspiciously.

"I will, Cissa. Take care of yourself." With that, and a final jaunty salute, he hurried back to Remus. Narcissa left the room quickly, avoiding everyone else. This left Sirius, Remus, the Longbottoms, and the Tonks for dinner. Arcturus was still sitting comfortably in his seat, looking for all the world like he could happily never move, and Melania had moved further up the table to sit beside her husband.

The now empty seats left near the head of the table filled, as the Longbottoms made their way up from the other end, and Alice came back into the room with Neville in her arms, and Nymphadora following her. Andromeda headed over to Remus and Sirius and pulled Sirius into a tight hug, whispering in his ear that he was going to tell her later what he and Narcissa had been talking about. He just nodded, and patted her shoulder lightly when she pulled away to sit back beside Ted.

Remus shifted nervously beside Sirius, glad to still be holding Alphard as a buffer, when Arcturus rose from his seat, and came around the corner of the table to talk to Sirius.

"Grandson." He greeted, his eyes flitting over to Remus, who was standing right beside Sirius, trying to control the urge to run away from the intimidating Black Head of House. "I'm glad you've seen fit to come back into the fold. Rest assured I will be ensuring that your mother relinquishes her hold on any of your inheritance. You were never truly disowned so everything is still yours."

"I don't want Grimmauld place, grandfather."

"Well, of course not." Arcturus made a disgusted face, like the thought of Sirius living there had never even crossed his mind. "I never understood why Orion bowed to your mother's wishes, and deigned to live there. He should have taken over Black Manor when he married her, but Pollux's eldest always was a stubborn child." Arcturus shook his head woefully, and Remus tried not to make a disgusted face at the reminder that Sirius' parents were cousins. "I will be passing Black Manor over to you now of course, seeing as you have a son who needs somewhere proper to be raised."

"Actually, grandfather, we were thinking of moving into the townhouse that uncle Alphard passed onto me, once my name is cleared."

Arcturus just raised an eyebrow at the 'we' before moving on, "Nonsense. Use that as a holiday home. My heir, and his heir, will be living in Black Manor, and once this whole mess is cleared up I will pass the title on to you. I never wished for it back once I'd passed it onto Orion, but it couldn't be avoided."

Sirius just gaped for a few seconds, at a loss for what to say, before reluctantly thanking Arcturus. The older man nodded, and then turned his eyes on Remus, who gulped nervously, and shifted the quiet Alphard in his arms.

"Who is this, Sirius? Why was the family not introduced to your partner?" Arcturus turned a scolding look on Sirius, whose eyes widened.

He stuttered for moment. "Wh- my- he- No!"

"No?"

"Remus isn't my partner. He's just my best friend." Remus couldn't control his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, as Sirius vehemently denied any possibility of them being anything more than just friends.

Arcturus frowned. "Why on earth was he at a Black family meeting, and why did Callidora seat him beside you then, Sirius?"

Sirius floundered, not really having an answer, knowing that Callidora was trying to set him and Remus up (not that he thought Remus would ever want him), "Well, he was at the meeting because he has already seen my memories, so he could vouch for their authenticity, and he was best friends with the Potters and Pettigrew as well, so he had every right to be here to plan for Pettigrew's downfall."

Arcturus narrowed his silver eyes at Sirius, "That does not explain why he was sat next to you, grandson. That position is saved for the spouse of the heir, unless he does not have one, in which case it would not be a friend that took the place."

Sirius shrugged, lying through his teeth, "You'll have to ask Callidora, grandfather. Remus and I have never been together, and I doubt we ever will be. He's like a brother to me." Remus was nodding along, though his heart was breaking more as Sirius spoke.

Arcturus still looked sceptical, but he took his seat at the table again, and as everyone else sat down, lunch appeared on the table. Sirius and Remus avoided each other's gazes resolutely as they dug into the lunch that the Longbottom House Elves had prepared.

 **1:55pm  
Second Parlour, Longbottom's Loke**

When lunch was over Sirius and Remus split up, going in different directions; Sirius followed Callidora out of the large room, and managed to catch her halfway down the corridor. He gently grasped her arm, pulling her into one of the parlours lining the hallway quickly. He waved his wand to ignite the lamps in the room, before he turned and fixed his grandfather's cousin with a stern look.

Callidora wasn't intimidated in the slightest, taking a seat in one of the plush chairs placed in front of the fireplace in the parlour, and looking up at Sirius expectantly, "What is this about, Sirius?"

"Callidora– cousin– why are you doing this?" Sirius settled uneasily into the other armchair in the room, looking away from Callidora's sharp gaze into the fireplace that had lit when they entered the room.

Callidora sighed delicately, sounding much too much like Dorea when she was scolding Sirius for his liking. "I'm afraid you will have to be more specific, cousin. There are many things I am 'doing' after all." She summoned a decanter of elf wine and two glasses from the cupboard in the corner of the room, and poured them both a generous helping. "I feel that this conversation will need this, no?" She asked, after Sirius had been silent in response to her previous question for longer than was considered polite.

Sirius downed half his glass in one go, Callidora's relaxed countenance unsettling him more than he was willing to admit. "Trying to set me and Remus up."

"Ah."

When Callidora said nothing more, Sirius broke, "Why are you even trying? He doesn't love me, doesn't even like me like _that!_ It will just ruin our friendship if he ever finds out! I couldn't deal with that. He–"

"Sirius!" Callidora interrupted what was sure to be a long rant from Sirius, a frown marring her delicate features. "If I didn't think that he felt the same I wouldn't ever try. That boy loves you just as much as you love him." Sirius spluttered incoherently at the implication that he loved Remus, his emotional immaturity definitely a result of his parents, but he conceded the point silently when Callidora just rose a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him. "I can see it plainly in his actions, and on his face, Sirius. But, if you truly wish me to not _meddle_ , I will leave you two to work it out yourselves."

Sirius swallowed thickly, trying to work past Callidora's suggestion that Remus felt the same about him, "You will?" He was surprised, it wasn't like a Black, or a Slytherin, to give up so easily.

"For now, yes." Callidora smirked lightly, taking a calm sip of her elf wine. "Fair warning that if nothing has happened by Christmas next year I will take matters into my own hands entirely, and I'm sure Cassie would be happy to help." She chuckled quietly when Sirius' eyes widened in horror. He was just thankful that Dorea wasn't here to get involved too, because that trio of Slytherin Blacks would be the ultimate threat; his mother (the one that he'd chosen, as opposed to the one that gave birth to him) was one of the most quietly sly women he'd ever met – and that was saying something, considering his family.

They both sat in silence finishing off their elf wine. Sirius was still contemplating actually being with Remus when Callidora spoke again. "We should return to the others, Sirius. But, think on what I have said." She rose from her chair, and swept from the room before Sirius could think of anything to say in return. Sirius followed slowly, making it into the meeting room a few minutes behind Callidora.

Sirius wanted to just find Remus, and Alphard, and leave, but Remus was nowhere to be found within the crowd in that room. Sirius panicked a bit when he couldn't see either of them, until Andromeda approached him with Alphard in her arms.

She handed Alphard over with little fuss, smiling kindly down at the little boy. When she looked up at Sirius, however, her expression certainly wasn't as kind. "We need to have a talk I think, Sirius."

"Yeah, we do. Not today, though." Sirius was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep.

"When the nasty business with Pettigrew is over, we will talk." Andromeda nodded decisively, as though Sirius had already responded, and turned to walk back to her husband and daughter.

"Wait, Andie. Where's Remus?"

"He left the room just after you. It looked like he was heading for the kitchen." Sirius thanked her, and just as he turned to leave the room, Remus came back through the door to the meeting room, looking mollified. Sirius frowned, and resolved to ask Remus about why he looked so horrified when they got home later.

 **Earlier (1:55pm)  
Kitchen, Longbottom's Loke**

Remus watched Sirius march determinedly out of the room after Callidora, looking like he was going to start some kind of argument. If Remus hadn't been so tired, or weirded out by Arcturus' gaze that seemed to be intent on him, he may have followed Sirius after Callidora. As it was, he decided that he needed some chocolate to settle his nerves, and that he'd probably find some (or a House Elf who could help him) in the kitchen.

Despite his advanced werewolf senses, he didn't notice Arcturus following him into the kitchen until the old man spoke up. "So, Mr. Lupin, isn't it? What are your intentions with my grandson?"

Remus, startled out of chocolate centered thoughts, spun to face Arcturus, tripped over his own feet in the process and only just caught himself on the edge of the counter before he fell flat on his face. "My what?" Remus spluttered for a moment, unsure over what Arcturus wanted him to say, "Sir- I- He- We're just best friends."

Arcturus made a noncommittal noise, taking a seat at the large oak table in the kitchen, and waving at the House Elf hovering near to bring him a cup of tea. "Take a seat, boy." Arcturus gestured to the seat opposite, and said nothing else until Remus had complied. "You are clearly in love with my grandson, yes? And he is clearly in love with you," Arcturus held up a hand when Remus went to interrupt him, "I can see it clearly, so don't try to deny it."

"Mr. Black, Sirius isn't in love with me." Remus protested.

"I see that you do not deny that you are in love with him." Arcturus said thoughtfully, taking a sip of the tea that had just been placed in front of him. "You are wrong about him, however. I know the look on his face whenever he looks at you. I do not wish to know any details of your relationship with him, but if you do not do something about making him yours soon, then I'm afraid I will have to take matters into my own hands and arrange him a marriage to someone else."

Remus choked on the sip of tea he had just taken, "What?!" He coughed out, horror coursing through his veins at the thought.

"I do not want to do so. It would estrange Sirius from the family again, but if it will force your hand then I will do it."

"I-"

Arcturus held up his hand again. "Do not say anything else, unless it is to agree that you love him, and will be courting him."

"Sir-"

"Of course, it will need to wait until this nasty business with Pettigrew is over." Arcturus was practically talking to himself now, expecting Remus to listen, but not contribute to the one-sided conversation. "My grandson needs some happiness that is just for himself in his life. Something that isn't demanding, like a child is. You are both in love with each, Mr. Lupin. Consider this, or by next Christmas I will be starting to organise a contract with someone for Sirius."

Remus' eyes were wide when he finally left the kitchen – chocolate-less still. When Arcturus had laid the ultimatum upon him, it had taken away from the fact that he was insisting that Sirius was in love with him. But, now that he had left the kitchen, it had a chance to sink in, and Remus was shaken up. He just wanted to go home, lay in bed and contemplate it.

When they finally left Longbottom's Loke, nearly five hours after they first arrived, both Marauders were exhausted. Neither had noticed the conspiring glances that Callidora and Arcturus had exchanged before they left. "I'd forgotten how ridiculous my family could get sometimes," Sirius grumbled as they headed out of the large gates and apparated back to Remus' cottage. Remus just chuckled, and entertained Alphard whilst Sirius recovered from dealing with his family.

 **2** **nd** **January 1982  
7am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

The last month had gone past much too quickly in Sirius' opinion; in a whirl of plans, and Christmas shopping. He and Remus had spent the holiday with Alice and Frank in the morning, and Andromeda and Ted in the afternoon. Alphard had been delighted with his presents.

With the passing of Christmas, and the beginning of the New Year, came the beginning of Peter Pettigrew's trial. Sirius' stomach was turning in knots when he woke up that morning, and he downed the lukewarm cup of coffee in a gulp, when a tired looking Remus handed it to him. Thankful that Alphard had been with Andromeda and Ted for the night, he wasted no time with pleasantries, and grabbed a hold of Remus' arm, apparating them to Black Manor – the large estate that was going to become Sirius' as soon as Pettigrew was (hopefully) declared guilty.

They arrived outside the wrought iron imposing gates, and Remus took a step back from the smell of dark magic that emanated from the estate. "Padfoot, we're going to have to gut this place, or at least cleanse it, before we even think about bringing Alphard here." A stoic looking Sirius nodded in agreement, and led the twitchy werewolf through the heavy blood wards surrounding the estate.

They made their way up the wide cobblestone path, lined on either side by pine trees that blocked out the large gardens that stretched either side of the walkway, and around the Manor. Their footsteps were loud as they headed towards the imposing front door of the dark Manor House. The whole building was built from large pieces of dark slate, and the façade was covered in flourishing ivy. Remus examined his future home carefully as they approached it; the whole building had a dark beauty to it, but that beauty was offset by the dark magic that currently permeated the grounds. It wasn't a surprising discovery that Black Manor was steeped in the magic, not all dark magic was bad after all, but there was a tang to the magic in the air that had Remus shivering with disgust – he assumed that it was probably from recent generations who had embraced the cruel side of dark magic.

Sirius reached the front doors first, which swung open to reveal a well-dressed House Elf when Sirius tapped his fist against the door twice. The House Elf let them in and took their cloaks from them, before leading them to the front parlour where it informed them everyone else was gathered.

"Ah. Sirius, Mr. Lupin." Arcturus greeted them as they entered the large room, he was seated in the largest armchair beside the lit fire, a cup of tea beside him on a little table. "Take a seat." He gestured to the only free seats in the room, which happened to be a small sofa.

It turned out everyone really did mean everyone, Sirius smiled at Callidora and the other Longbottoms, as he took his seat, and saw that Remus was already engaged in a conversation with Ted, who was standing against the wall beside the sofa they had just taken a seat on. Sirius' sharp eyes quickly noted that only the older or more important Black family members were sitting down. Melania and Lysandra were both seated on the couch opposite Arcturus nearest the fire, and Cedrella sat near Callidora with Cassiopeia taking the final armchair near the door.

"Now that we're all here, we are going to go over the plan one last time to ensure that everyone," Callidora shot a look at Bilius Weasley who sheepishly smiled at his aunt, "Understands what they are doing."

Sirius reached forward and grabbed two cups of tea from the tray on the table in the middle of the room, adding sugar and milk to Remus', and just sugar to his own before he settled back in his seat again. He was hoping that the sweetness of the tea would help soothe his nerves. He pointedly ignored Callidora's smug look at him preparing tea for Remus.

"The Wizengamot session starts at 8am, and when this begins, Arcturus, Harfang, Septimus, Harold, Lucius, and Percival Prewett, Ignatius' brother, will all be there to ensure that we have our family represented. We also know for sure that we have the Heads of House for Fawley, MacMillan, Yaxley, and Shafiq on board. Dumbledore will most definitely be attending, but Minister Bagnold will be the chief for the entirety of Pettigrew's trial, we have been assured." Callidora, finished with her part, turned her eyes to Sirius, who picked up where she left off, swallowing his nervousness down with a gulp of hot tea.

"The trial starts at 11am, so everyone needs to ensure that they have optimum seats, spread out around the audience if possible by 10am. I will hand myself over to Maroculus for being a witness, and most likely being questioned, at 10:45am, to ensure that there is no time to prepare any tricks against me." Sirius took a deep breath, hating the Slytherin way that they had had to strategise everything, but knowing it was necessary. "Remus will also be being called forward as a witness, so he will be sitting in the witness box at the front. Alphard will be in the back of the audience with Ted in case he is needed for any reason, but we hope that that is a last resort. Cassie will be defending me, and it has worked well in our favour that Ignatius was asked to be the prosecutor for Pettigrew."

Finished with his spiel, Sirius relaxed back into the sofa beneath him, letting the discussion of the minutiae of where everyone had to be wash over him. Remus lightly touched his shoulder an innumerate time later, jolting Sirius from his reverie. When he looked around the room, he noticed that all the Wizengamot members were gone already.

"What's the time?" He was surprised, turning to Remus who angled his watch towards Sirius so that the latter could see it was already 9am.

"You ready, Pads?" Remus asked quietly, after ensuring that no one else in the room was listening to their conversation.

"No, Moony." Sirius rubbed his hands down his face roughly. He had shaved that morning, so as to look well put together, and he now found the lack of facial hair disconcerting, "What if everything goes wrong, and I'm found guilty? What the hell would we do then?"

"Sirius, you have the might of the House of Black behind you. Even if you were found guilty, which, let's be honest, with Cassiopeia defending you there's no way. They would do everything in their power to ensure you got a retrial. Pettigrew is guilty, and the fucking Dark Mark on his arm is going to be pretty good proof of that."

Sirius nodded, trying to breathe through what he was pretty sure was the beginning of a panic attack, "Moony." He croaked, reaching out to grasp Remus' arm before it all went dark.

When he came too he was lying on the same sofa as before, with a concerned Cedrella bent over him, "Ah, you're awake. Gave us all a rather good fright there, Sirius." She said sternly, "You'll be fine." She stood up briskly and grabbed something that Sirius couldn't see from his angle. She leant back over him, and after helping him sit up against the arm of the sofa, passed him a cup of sweet tea. "Here, drink this. Then we must go, it's nearly 10 o'clock." She pulled away from him and Sirius could see that the room was emptying of family members, most of them sending him an encouraging smile as they went. He downed the cup of tea, and winced at the bitter flavour; noting that it had been spiked with a calming draught.

"This is gonna be hell, Moony." He commented as Remus helped him rise from the couch nearly twenty minutes later. Everyone else had already left, but as Remus and Sirius were planning on arriving later they hadn't had to worry.

"You've got that right, Pads." Remus helped Sirius into the large entrance hall where the fireplace that was hooked up to the floo network was. He grabbed a small pinch, and threw it into the flames, which flashed green. He wished he could reach out, and pull Sirius into a reassuring kiss, though at this point it would probably be the opposite of reassuring for Sirius; seeing as he apparently considered Remus a brother. "See you on the other side, Pads. Don't be late." With that, and a shout of the Ministry of Magic, Remus was whirled away into the flames.

Sirius stared at the floo network, and cast a quick _tempus_ that told him he still had fifteen minutes before he needed to floo to Maroculus' office directly. He conjured himself a chair, sat and stared resolutely at the _tempus_ charm to watch the seconds tick by.


	16. The Trial

**A/N: Hey all! Thanks for all your lovely words on the last chapter – here's this one a bit earlier than I was originally intending as a reward :D**

 **Also! I've just gone through and edited all the previous chapters – there is a new scene in chapter 13, and** _ **three(!)**_ **scenes in chapter 15, and chapter 14 has been moved around a bit. Just a head's up because they add to the story, character development, and development of Remus and Sirius' relationship!**

 _ **2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **January 1982  
10:43am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**_

 _Sirius stared at the floo network, and cast a quick tempus that told him he still had fifteen minutes before he needed to floo to Maroculus' office directly. He conjured himself a chair, sat and stared resolutely at the tempus charm to watch the seconds' tick by._

When the _tempus_ charm finally ticked over to 10:43 Sirius leapt out of the chair, vanished it, and grabbed a pinch of floo powder. He threw the powder in the fireplace and took a moment as the flames flashed green, bracing himself for the whirlwind that was bound to be this morning. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the fireplace, and announced "Maroculus Fawley's office, Ministry of Magic," watching as Black Manor whirled away from him.

 **2** **nd** **January 1982  
10:44am  
Maroculus Fawley's office, Ministry of Magic – London**

Sirius appeared in Maroculus' office in a whirl of green flames, and stumbled out of the fireplace to catch himself on the desk. Maroculus was lounging in his chair in front of the desk, and grinned at Sirius when the latter tripped into the room.

"Morning, Black. Cup of tea?" Maroculus gestured to said cup of tea sitting on his desk. Sirius reached out and grabbed it gratefully, gulping the lukewarm liquid down in a few mouthfuls before taking the seat opposite Maroculus.

"What happens now?" He asked uneasily.

Maroculus glanced at the magical clock sitting on the wall, counting down the minutes that were passing much too fast in Sirius' opinion. "In five minutes, I take you down to be a witness for Pettigrew. They'll probably question you too. But I wouldn't worry too much."

The five minutes passed quickly, and before Sirius knew it he and Maroculus were riding down in one of the lifts to the Wizengamot. Maroculus led him through the side doors quietly and into the witness box, luckily managing to avoid the attention of anyone except Remus, who shot him a tense smile, considering they had timed it perfectly with Pettigrew being brought in. The chubby man was forced into the seat in front of where the Minister sat, the chains coming up and snaking around his ankles and wrists to hold him there.

"The court recognises Ignatius Prewett," The Minister intoned, turning to their selected prosecutor. "Please administer the veritaserum, and begin your questioning."

Ignatius stood from his place and followed Scrimgeour over to Pettigrew, and stood aside whilst Scrimgeour administered the correct amount of veritaserum. Sirius shifted nervously in his place; eager for the trial to start. Ignatius waited a few seconds to allow the veritaserum to take effect before he began.

"Please state your full name, date of birth, and blood status for the record."

"Peter Aurelius Pettigrew, 6th May 1960, pureblood." Pettigrew's voice was stoic, and his expression blank as the veritaserum took over.

"Could you describe the wand that was confiscated from you upon your arrival at the Ministry?"

"9¼ inches, Chestnut, dragon heartstring."

Ignatius turned to face Minister Bagnold, trying to remain calm and professional in the face of interviewing the man who could've had his nephew imprisoned for something he didn't do. "Is the Wizengamot satisfied that the veritaserum is working to its full capacity?"

"We are satisfied." Minister Bagnold intoned, sitting straight up in her chair and watching the proceedings like a hawk. Dumbledore, sitting near her, looked angry, and highly insulted that he wasn't the chief warlock for this trial.

"Then I shall begin my questioning." Ignatius turned back to the traitor, focusing his mind and preparing the questions he needed to get through in his mind. "Peter Pettigrew, where were you on the night of the 31st of October 1981?"

"I was in Wiltshire." Pettigrew's voice was still a monotone, and Ignatius saw many people shiver out of the corner of his eyes. He ignored that, and pressed on.

"Who were you with?"

"I was with the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort." A chorus of gasps rose around the room.

"Why were you with Lord Voldemort?" Ignatius resisted the urge to roll his eyes when most people shivered or flinched at the name; it was just a name, and fearing the name ultimately gave Voldemort more power.

"I was with him to tell him of the Potters location." Pettigrew carried on regardless of people's reactions in the room – forced to answer Ignatius' questions and tell the truth.

Ignatius clenched his teeth and resumed his slow face back and forth in front of Pettigrew, his hands clasped behind his back to prevent himself from drawing his wand on the traitor. "What was he planning on doing once you told him of the Potter's location?"

"He was going to go to their home to kill Harry Potter, and anyone who stood in the way." A horrified murmur rippled round the courtroom, and Ignatius saw Sirius and Remus both flinch at the mention of the poor young boy who had lost his life. Maroculus Fawley held them both down with firm hands on their shoulders, flicking his wand to silence them so that they didn't start shouting abuse at their former friend.

Ignatius pressed on, wanting to get the trial finished as soon as possible, "Did you know this before you told him their location?"

"Yes."

"Who was the Potter's secret keeper?"

"I was."

"So, you told Lord Voldemort of their location in full knowledge that it would mean the fidelius charm would break?" Ignatius clenched his jaw again, ignoring the angry mutters in the audience, he looked up briefly and caught his wife's eyes. She sent him an encouraging look, and he took a deep breath before ploughing on.

"Yes."

"Are you a Death Eater, Mr. Pettigrew?"

"Yes." Roars of anger and horror went up around the room at that and the Aurors were forced to cast a room-wide silencing spell when the Minister couldn't calm everyone down.

"Thank you, Scrimgeour." The Minister spoke when they removed the spell from her alone. "Everyone will be quiet unless they would like to be silenced for the rest of the trial." She then nodded to the Aurors, who removed the silencing spells as everyone sheepishly took their seats quietly.

"Permission to check for a dark mark?" Ignatius spoke once everyone had settled back down.

"Permission granted." The Minister answered wearily, holding up a preventative hand when Dumbledore stood up in his seat, his mouth open. "Professor Dumbledore, you will remain in your seat and be quiet until Mr. Prewett is finished with his questioning."

One of the Aurors stepped forward, and with a complex spell, they removed the chain from Pettigrew's left wrist, and grabbed the arm before Pettigrew could do anything. The room was silent; everyone watched with baited breath as the Aurors pushed the sleeve up Pettigrew's arm and revealed the still fresh, writhing dark mark. Ignatius swallowed down the bile he felt rising in his throat when he looked at the mark, and turned to face the Wizengamot once the Auror had pulled the sleeve back down, and replaced the chain. "As the Wizengamot can see, Mr. Pettigrew has the dark mark."

The Wizengamot, and audience, erupted into furious whispers. Sirius and Remus watched as Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, obviously trying to justify something to himself. "I bet he's trying to work out a way to get Pettigrew a pardon like he did with Snivellus." Sirius sneered quietly to Remus and Maroculus.

"Your family would never allow it." Remus whispered back furiously, placing a calming hand on Sirius' shaking thigh, Remus' stomach was still roiling from the stench of the dark magic that had rolled off the dark mark.

Minister Bagnold stood again and set off a bright jet of silver sparks from her wand, capturing the attention of everyone finally when she shouted, "Quiet! QUIET! Finish your questioning, Mr. Prewett."

Ignatius nodded gracefully, and turned back to Pettigrew, who was still sitting impassively in the chair – thankfully still under the influence of the veritaserum. "When you told Lord Voldemort of the Potter's location were you hoping that they would be killed?"

"Yes." There was a quiet hiss of anger that rippled around the room, but Ignatius ignored it in the interest of ploughing on and making sure all his questions were answered before the veritaserum ran out.

"Are you an Animagus?"

The Minister spoke up behind Ignatius again, confusion lacing her tone, "Is that relevant, Mr. Prewett?"

"Yes, Minister. I assure you, it is most relevant." He had pivoted to face the Minister as he spoke, a small smile on his face that disappeared when he turned back to Pettigrew, who seemed to be starting to fight the veritaserum now, "I will repeat the question, Mr. Pettigrew. Are you an Animagus?"

"Yes."

"What form do you take?"

"A brown rat." The words were said through clenched teeth as Pettigrew tried to fight the veritaserum even more.

"Are you registered?"

"No." Ignatius could feel the shocked gazes from the Wizengamot and most of the audience – excluding the Black family members who knew everything, of course – resting on him and Peter as he continued his questioning.

"Where did you go for the month before we found you?"

"I was in Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon."

"Who were you hiding with?"

"The Weasleys." There was a shout of 'What?!' from the crowd and heads turned to stare in horror and disgust at Molly and Arthur Weasley. The Minister sighed angrily and, holding her wand to her throat, cast a _sonorous_ charm.

"SILENCE! NOW! You are adults, act like it!" She sat back down and cast the counter to the _sonorous_ , gesturing to Ignatius to carry on. He turned back to Pettigrew who was now visibly straining against the veritaserum.

"In your Animagus form?"

"Yes." The word was strained and drawn out.

"Were they aware that you were anything but a rat?"

Pettigrew visibly struggled with the potion, gritting his teeth and trying to avoid answering, but it was no good and the "No" slipped past his lips. There was cries of outrage from the audience again, and Ignatius sighed gratefully as the Aurors cast a silencing charm on the audience only this time.He turned to face the Wizengamot again, as Pettigrew was removed to another chair further back that kept him just as chained up and under control, three Aurors stood around him on guard.

Ignatius swallowed his nerves, knowing that Pettigrew had pretty much condemned himself. "Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot, as you could hear and see, Mr. Pettigrew was the secret keeper for the Potters on the 31st October 1981. He willingly told Lord Voldemort of their location, in full knowledge that You-Know-Who would kill them. He is also an illegal Animagus and hid for a full month with an innocent family who had no knowledge they were letting a murderer stay with them. I have no further questions for Mr. Pettigrew, but I would like to call witness Mr. Remus J Lupin to the fore."

"Permission granted." The Minister waved her hand, and Remus was led by Maroculus to sit in the chair that Pettigrew had just been in, he hesitated briefly beside the chair and the Minister, seeming to sense his doubts, spoke again, "Don't worry, Mr. Lupin. The chains are only for the defendants."

Ignatius smiled encouragingly at Remus where no one could see, as the werewolf took a seat in the chair, only allowing himself to relax minutely when the chains didn't make an appearance. "Mr. Lupin, I just have a few questions for you. We will not be administering veritaserum because you are not under suspicion. But if the Wizengamot feels you are lying to us then we will use _Legilimens_. Do you consent?"

Remus licked his lips nervously, not admitting that the Legilimency wouldn't work against him, even if they tried, because of the natural Occlumens barrier that Moony provided him with, "I consent."

"Very well, Mr. Lupin, where were you the night of 31st October 1981?"

"I was at home, by myself." There was a scoff from the Wizengamot but Ignatius, Remus, and the Minister ignored it.

"Did you know that Peter Pettigrew was a Death Eater and a spy?" Ignatius looked apologetic that he had to ask the question, but Remus' reaction was still visceral, he only just managed to stop himself from jumping to his feet with indignation.

"NO! Definitely not! I wouldn't have been friends with him if I had."

There was a delicate clearing of a throat from the direction of the Wizengamot and a toad-like woman wearing a pale pink cardigan over a darker pink dress stood from her seat. When she spoke, her voice was sugary sweet and dripped with loathing. "But you are a werewolf, Mr. Lupin, a half-breed. You consort with dark creatures."

Remus resisted the urge to snarl at the hideous woman as multiple people in both the audience and Wizengamot suddenly looked at Remus with barely disguised disgust and horror; as though he should be the one on trial. Usually a calm and collected person he couldn't stop himself from snapping back. "No, I do not. I am a light wizard, and in control when I'm a werewolf once a month thanks to the Wolfsbane potion."

When the toad-like woman made to speak again, Ignatius sent a look to Maroculus who silenced the woman with a quick wave of his wand. She looked outraged and started ranting behind the silencing charm. Ignatius turned to Minister Bagnold, "Madam Minister, this is my witness, could the Wizengamot please refrain from asking irrelevant questions?"

Millicent Bagnold, the Minister, was a fair and kind woman, and she looked rather disgusted at the way that the toad-like woman had spoken. She turned that look on her, speaking in a crisp and angry tone, "Indeed. Madame Umbridge, your opinion is neither wanted, nor needed. If you cannot be quiet, then I will have to remove you from the proceedings." Umbridge made another silenced shout and started gesturing about something, Bagnold turned to Scrimgeour and gestured to Umbridge – whose face now matched the colour of her dress. "Remove her from the Wizengamot and take away her privileges, tell her that she will receive them back when she apologises to Mr. Lupin, werewolves, Mr. Prewett, and myself."

There was silence as the indignant woman was removed from the courtroom by Aurors Scrimgeour and Dawlish. Ignatius waited a beat for the doors to slam closed behind them, before he turned back to Remus and resumed the questioning. "How did you find out about Mr. Pettigrew?"

Remus glanced briefly at Sirius sitting in the witness boxes before he answered, "Sirius Black told me."

"Mr. Black told you? And you believed him?"

"He showed me his memories of the Potters making Pettigrew the secret keeper."

"His memories." Ignatius said thoughtfully, as though all of this wasn't a scripted piece that had been worked out a month in advance, "Permission from the Wizengamot to view Mr. Pettigrew's and Mr. Black's memories of the night that the secret keeper for the Potters was chosen?"

"Permission granted, we will view them in private when you are done with your witnesses."

"Thank you. I have no more questions." With that Ignatius took his seat off to the side, as Maroculus led Remus to where Sirius was sitting and stood there waiting for the next part of the trial.

Minister Bagnold didn't wait long before she spoke again, gesturing to Maroculus to bring Sirius over, "The Wizengamot calls Mr. Sirius Black to the fore. Ms Cassiopeia Black, you are the defender, please administer veritaserum and question Mr. Sirius Black."

Dumbledore stood again, his face a façade of grandfatherly concern, "I must protest Minister. Ms Black is Sirius Black's great-aunt, and as such she will have a bias. Please allow me to question him." He made a move to start descending the Wizengamot seating to enter the circle at the centre of the room where suspects and witnesses sat. The Minister held up her hand to stop him, and Remus and Sirius exchanged a relieved look.

"Please sit back down, Professor Dumbledore. You have no authority to protest during this trial, as I have told you multiple times. You also have no training to question Mr. Black. Ms Black is trained and will be able to prevent her feelings from entering the equation. If you won't cooperate then I will insist you are removed from these trial proceedings as well." Dumbledore took his seat again, looking furious, the twinkle gone from his eyes for once.

Cassiopeia sent Sirius a surreptitious wink just before the Aurors fed him three drops of veritaserum and his eyes glazed over. "Please state your name, date of birth, and blood status for the record."

"Sirius Black, 3rd of November 1959, pureblood." Sirius' voice was just as monotone as Pettigrew's had been.

"Is the Wizengamot satisfied that this is Mr. Sirius Black, and the veritaserum is working?"

"We are. Commence your questioning."

"Mr. Black, on the evening of 31st October 1981, where were you?" Cassiopeia paced back and forth in front of the young Black heir, her face an impassive mask to any who did not know her.

"I was at home, then I went to Pettigrew's hideout to check for him."

"Why were you there?"

"I felt something foreboding, so I went to check on Pettigrew to make sure he was okay. But he wasn't there." Sirius' eyes were lit with anger behind the veil of carelessness that the veritaserum had placed over him.

"What did you do when you discovered he was not there?"

"Went straight to Godric's Hollow." A confused mutter ran through the Wizengamot when Sirius said that, and many glances were exchanged.

"Why did you go there?"

"I remembered the village that Potter cottage was in, but I didn't know which it specifically was. I thought that Pettigrew might have been taken or killed, and I wanted to make sure Lily, James, and Harry were okay."

Cassiopeia's voice was cool and collected, but the various Blacks watching could see through the façade to the turmoil caused by having to question the family heir. "What did you discover when you arrived at Potter cottage?"

"The dark mark was hanging over the cottage, and half of the top floor was blown out. I went in to check, but none of them were alive so I left. I didn't want to have to look at my best friends, and godson when they were like that." Remus flinched at the matter of fact way that the veritaserum made Sirius talk about the Potters deaths.

"Where did you go then?"

"To Remus' house."

"Did you know of Mr. Pettigrew's status as an illegal Animagus?"

"Yes." A surprised mutter ran around the Wizengamot, and the newly un-silenced audience members.

"How did you know this?"

"He became an Animagus to help Remus with the full moons."

"Are you an illegal Animagus?"

"Not anymore."

Cassiopeia could see the curiosity in everyone's eyes over the last remark, but if he wasn't illegally an Animagus, then there was no need to ask further questions about it. She pressed on, asking the question she knew most people were waiting for. She saw the quills of the so far silent reporters in the corner flying across their parchment as she questioned Sirius. "Are you a Death Eater?"

"No."

"Do you have a dark mark?"

"No."

She turned to the Minister, feeling smug at the looks of shock on the faces of almost everyone who didn't already know – especially Dumbledore who looked like he'd just had his world turned upside down. "Permission to check Mr. Black's arm to verify his statement."

The Minister nodded wearily, wanting this to be over just as much as everyone else. "Permission granted."

An Auror stepped forward, and with a flick of their wand, Sirius' sleeve on his left arm rolled up to his elbow. Sirius' tanned and unblemished arm was revealed to everyone, and a gasp of surprise rippled around the room. Sirius, coming out from under the veritaserum's effect now, rolled his eyes at the gullibleness of most of the Wizarding World.

Cassiopeia turned to the Wizengamot resolutely, refusing to even look in Dumbledore's direction as she suspected he would probably try to _Legilimens_ her – not that he'd succeed because she, like most purebloods, was well trained in _Occlumency._ "I am satisfied that Mr. Sirius Black had no knowledge of Mr. Peter Pettigrew's betrayal, and no knowledge that the Potters were to be killed that night. He has no dark mark, and there is no proof he consorted with Lord Voldemort. I suggest that after viewing his and Mr. Pettigrew's memories the Wizengamot charges Mr. Pettigrew and clears Mr. Black."

The Minister nodded, and gestured to the Aurors, who stepped forward, wands brandished. "Very well, retrieve Mr. Black and Mr. Pettigrew's memories of the secret keeper assignment and the Wizengamot will retire to the chambers to view them." The Aurors stepped towards Pettigrew and Sirius respectively, forcefully pulling the memories out of Pettigrew's head after using _Legilimens_ on him to find them, and taking them from Sirius when he provided them willingly. "This trial will begin again in two hours. Dismissed."

The Minister, and the rest of the Wizengamot stepped out of the courtroom, and Sirius moved back to his seat between Remus and Maroculus. They started the long wait for the resumption of the trial.


	17. The Verdict

**A/N: I borrowed some of the scene where Sirius and Remus talk to Pettigrew from the original confrontation scene in POA. Thank you everyone who commented! Let me know what you guys think to this chapter :D We're getting closer to the end now (I've got another 3 chapters written after this one... so updates may be more sporadic whilst I write the last three chapters!)**

" _This trial will begin again in two hours. Dismissed."_

 _The Minister, and the rest of the Wizengamot stepped out of the court room, and Sirius moved back to his seat between Remus and Maroculus. They started the long wait for the resumption of the trial._

 **2** **nd** **January 1982  
3:15pm  
Court Room 12, Level 10 Courtrooms, Ministry of Magic – London**

The two hour wait felt much longer, and by the time the Wizengamot finally came out, hardly anyone was still in their seats. There was a flurry of movement by the door and Pettigrew, no longer silenced when he wasn't required to answer his questions, and no longer dosed with veritaserum, was dragged into the room by two Aurors and hauled in the direction of the middle of the court room.

Pettigrew turned to Remus and Sirius halfway across the room, with a pathetic pleading look on his face, "S-Sirius ... R-Remus... My friends..." Silence fell as everyone waited with baited breath for the two's response. The Aurors stopped trying to pull Pettigrew across the room, as intrigued as everyone else.

Sirius jumped to his feet in outrage, snarling at Pettigrew, always quick to anger. "Shut the fuck up, Pettigrew! You _don't_ get to speak to us." Maroculus grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him back down into his seat.

Pettigrew recoiled from Sirius and turned his watery eyes on Remus instead. "Remus," He gasped, "You don't believe it, do you!? He would have killed me, Remus… Sirius would have killed me if he'd found me." Remus didn't even bother responding verbally to Pettigrew; just shook his head angrily, and bared his teeth in a silent snarl at the rat. "He's come to try and kill me now!" Pettigrew shrieked, pointing at a scowling Sirius, "He killed Lily and James, and now he's going to kill me, too… he's trying to frame me! You've got to help me, Remus…"

Sirius couldn't stay silent anymore, bursting out again, "I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them!"

"Sirius – it's me... it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't!" Pettigrew implored, leaning back in the grasp of the Aurors to get away from Sirius' disgusted mien. The Aurors, Dawlish and a new young Auror by the name of Kingsley, were both engrossed by the action, their eyes wide as the remaining marauders both rose to their full menacing heights in the stands, terrifying snarls on their faces.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Remus instead, his face twisting to appear innocent. "You don't believe this ... Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Pettigrew," said Remus, disgust colouring his tone, "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" He casually turned to the man standing beside him, a sly smile twisting his features and sending spirals of desire through Sirius' stomach.

"Forgive me, Remus," Sirius responded with a teasing smirk.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend." Remus turned back to Pettigrew angrily, making it clear that whilst Sirius would receive his forgiveness, Pettigrew never would, "Forgive me for thinking the same of you?" He asked Sirius without even looking at him.

"Of course, Moony." There was a tense silence that permeated the room as everyone waited for one of the three Marauders to say something else. Pettigrew whimpered, and that seemed to break the damn that was holding back Sirius from exploding again, "YOU _SOLD_ LILY AND JAMES TO VOLDEMORT,' He shouted, shaking now too. "Do you deny it?!"

Pettigrew burst into tears and Sirius' face scrunched up in revulsion. The Aurors holding Pettigrew recoiled from the bawling young man. "Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord. You have no idea... he has weapons you can't imagine... I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you, and Remus, and James. I never meant it to happen... He Who Must Not Be Named forced me –"

"You don't get the privilege to speak James' name." Remus hissed, his voice filling the court room that was silent but for Pettigrew's sobs.

"DON'T LIE!" Sirius wasn't as reserved, Maroculus was holding him back from launching himself at Pettigrew. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE THEY DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He – he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew, still sobbing pitifully. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" Sirius spat, furious and struggling against the hold Maroculus, and now Remus, had on him; desperate to bash Pettigrew's ratty face in. "Only innocent lives, Pettigrew!'

"You don't understand!" Pettigrew whined pathetically, "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" Sirius roared, causing many in the room to flinch, the infamous Black madness showing.

"Si- Sirius please. Remus." Pettigrew turned to the notoriously calmer of the two to find Remus snarling at him, the werewolf so close to the surface that Remus' normally deep blue eyes were glowing golden.

The doors that led back to the consideration areas opened, and the Wizengamot streamed out. The Minister was first back to her seat, taking it and casting a _sonorous_ as the rest of the Wizengamot took their seats. "Quiet. We have our verdict."

There was a commotion as everyone rushed to take their seats, and not appear as though they'd been watching the altercation between the Marauders like it was a Quidditch match. This was the trial of the century, and no one wanted to miss a thing. The reporters, already in their seats and sitting forward eagerly, quills already rushing across their parchment to document the exchange between the Marauders, looked gleeful at how good the news was going to be the next morning.

When the noise had finally reduced, and people had settled down, the Minister nodded to the Aurors to chain Pettigrew back into the chair. They silenced him, and Maroculus and Remus managed to convince Sirius to sit back down, by reminding him of his son sitting in the audience, and the fact that if he went to Azkaban there was no certainty about what would happen to him.

Remus, unlike the rest of the room who were staring at the Minister waiting for her to deliver the verdict, was watching Dumbledore; who looked incredibly angry, the characteristic twinkle gone from his eyes. He suppressed the smile wanting to spread across his lips – knowing that they were most likely going to get good news now, if it made Dumbledore look so mad.

"Peter Pettigrew you have been found guilty of revealing the Potters' location with intent for them to die, and guilty of becoming an Animagus illegally with no intention of registering. You have also been found guilty of associating with You-Know-Who, and all of the horrors that come with being his associate, including, but not limited to, kidnapping, torture, and murder of witches, wizards, and muggles alike." Pettigrew was trembling in his seat, and the acrid stench of urine that suddenly filled the room revealed that he had pissed himself in fear. Dawlish, who was still standing near Pettigrew, scrunched his nose up in disgust, and with a wave of his wand vanished the puddle and stench. "In view of these verdicts you have been sentenced to the high security section of Azkaban, with four Dementors allocated to you, for the rest of your life. If you behave then there will be no further action against you, but any misbehaviour will result in the Dementor's Kiss. Do you have anything to say for yourself before you are taken away?"

The Minister looked like she wished that she didn't have to offer the last bit to Pettigrew, but was required to by law. Dawlish removed the silencing spell from Pettigrew but the traitorous wizard just shook his head with a whimper, refusing to say anything.

Bagnold raised her eyes slightly, and made eye contact with Sirius and Remus. She didn't say anything but they could both see her empathy for them shining through. "Very well. You will have anti-Animagus wards set up around your cell so that you can't escape the Dementors effects by transforming, and you will have no visiting privileges." The Minister scowled down at the whimpering man, "Take him to Azkaban."

Dawlish, Scrimgeour, and Kingsley pulled Pettigrew from his seat, after retracting the chains. Pettigrew sagged in their arms, sobbing and pleading for something other than Azkaban. When the room was finally quiet again, and Pettigrew had disappeared out of the door, the minister turned to Maroculus, and gestured for him and Sirius to walk to the front of the room.

"Sirius Black, you have been falsely under suspicion and investigated by the Aurors for your supposed involvement in the deaths of the Potters. On the Ministry's behalf I would like to offer an apology for forcing you to hide for your own safety for the past two months. The Ministry is also offering remunerations of 500 galleons to both you, and Mr. Remus Lupin, for the trouble you went through." Minister Bagnold paused, whilst exclamations of shock rose up around the room from the audience members. Remus' jaw had dropped open, and he knew he looked like a gaping fish as he stared in complete shock at the Minister and the Wizengamot. "If there are no objections, then this trial is concluded and you are all dismissed." With that the Minister left her chair, and the Wizengamot slowly filed out of the room.

The reporters, eager to get the story to print, were the first out of the courtroom. A shocked, and slightly numb, Sirius was gently pulled by Maroculus over to where Remus was standing completely flabbergasted; he didn't think he'd ever had that much money in his Gringotts' account before. Finally the room was empty of everyone, except for Remus, Maroculus, and the Black family. Andromeda passed a squirming Alphard into an uncharacteristically silent Sirius' arms.

"Merlin! That was an ordeal."Remus exclaimed, collapsing into his chair.

"Dad?" Alphard asked quietly, patting Sirius' cheek until the latter finally looked down at his son. "Dad! Wha' happen?!" Alphard's voice was thick with childish curiosity, and he was staring up at his father with obvious interest in his eyes.

"A very bad man just got put into prison, mini-Prongs." Sirius ran his large hand through Alphard's thick black curls, and pressed a lingering kiss right on the lightning bolt scar on Alphard's forehead. "He is the reason your parents are dead. He's gone now, and he's never going to do anything to hurt you again." Alphard looked up at Sirius with large light green-blue eyes, sad that Sirius looked sad too.

Sirius pulled Alphard closer to him, and buried his face in his son's messy curls, muffling his broken sobs. The straggling Black family members quietly left the courtroom, Remus pulled an unresisting Sirius into his arms. The two inches of height that Remus had over Sirius allowed him to press his own teary face into Sirius' thick hair, and breathe in the comforting smell of the man that he was in love with.

After a few minutes to gather himself together, Remus steered the still crying Sirius, and baffled Alphard, out of the room and into the hall, where he pushed him down onto the nearest bench and pulled his best friend into his arms again. The two remaining Marauders clung to each other, as they mourned the loss of the Peter Pettigrew they had once known.

 **3rd January 1982  
9am  
Remus Lupin's Cottage – Hempnall, Norfolk.**

Sirius was packing up the contents of Alphard's room, whilst the boy in question giggled from his position hovering above the bed, when the owl carrying the Daily Prophet arrived. Remus was downstairs, cleaning the living room ready to leave for Black manor – where they'd soon be living instead. The tap on the window made him nearly jump out of his skin, so engrossed in his spell work was he. He looked up to see an owl sitting on the windowsill, irritably pecking at the window again when Remus didn't immediately rush to relieve it of its burden.

The werewolf sighed, and ambled over to take the Daily Prophet. When the owl had flown away, he pulled the window shut again, and returned to finish cleaning the living room, not really wanting to read the news yet. By the time Remus had finished cleaning the whole of his cottage, Sirius had packed everything they were going to take with them, and the two sat Alphard down to eat breakfast, and read the news.

Remus poured Alphard some cereal whilst Sirius scanned the paper, his eyes widening in shock as he read, "Well, Pads?" Remus leaned forward, grabbing a mug and pouring himself some coffee, "What's it say?"

"It's pretty bloody kind to us, actually, Moony." Sirius looked up from the paper, surprise on his face, and grabbed the mug from Remus' hands, taking a large gulp of the hot coffee and garnering a noise of offended protest from Remus.

"Get your own coffee, bastard." He snapped, taking his mug back from Sirius' hands and hugging it possessively to his chest.

Sirius just grinned, and took a piece of crispy bacon from Remus' plate, stuffing it into his mouth in one piece to stop Remus from taking it back, "It's pretty much saying that Pettigrew was an awful guy who deserves Azkaban, and worse, and condemning the Ministry for suspecting you and me." Sirius chuckled, his eyes skimming the rest of the article, "And it's saying what eligible bachelors we are, Moony." Sirius waggled his eyebrows at Remus who rolled his eyes, and helped Alphard to eat his cereal. He was doing his best to ignore Sirius, and the pain that festered in his chest, as he started babbling on about the lines of women they would have waiting for them.

"Moon moon! We going to new home?" Alphard piped up excitedly, cutting Sirius off in the middle of his rambling, and causing the older Black to pout, when Remus had an excuse to ignore Sirius further.

"We are, mini-Prongs. When we're done with breakfast we're going to the new house. There's a Quidditch pitch for you to play on." Remus explained, a large grin spreading across his face and making him look years younger, when Alphard laughed enthusiastically and clapped his hands with glee. Remus didn't mention, of course, that Alphard wouldn't be allowed on the pitch for a few years at least.

Sirius smiled at the young boy's eagerness, and scooped him out of the highchair when he'd finished his last bite of breakfast, "I'll see you at the Manor, Moony?" Remus nodded, waving his hand as he washed their breakfast things, and packed them away with a few waves of his wand.

"You've sent the stuff ahead, right?" He checked, just as Sirius disappeared through the floo with Alphard. Remus shrugged, if he hadn't sent their stuff ahead, it wouldn't exactly be hard to come back and fetch it all. Remus took a last look around the cottage, feeling nostalgic, before he locked the house up with strong wards, and disapparated to Black Manor.

 **16** **th** **January 1982  
3pm  
Andromeda and Ted Tonks' house – Nottingham, Nottinghamshire**

Sirius appeared on the doorstep of the Tonks' house, after eating a late lunch at the Longbottoms' house with Remus and Alphard. Remus had apparated home with Alphard, leaving Sirius to his cousin's interrogation. She had been pestering him to come over and 'discuss' what Sirius had spoken about with Narcissa ever since Pettigrew had been sent to Azkaban.

He swallowed nervously, summoning his Gryffindor courage, before knocking firmly on the large door. The old house was in an expensive part of Nottingham, nestled between two smaller and less imposing houses, and hidden from muggles just like Grimmauld Place. Sirius examined the façade of the house whilst he waited for Andromeda to come to the door, it was beautiful even in its old age. It was clearly Tudor; with visible black beams showing through the ivy growing up the front and sides of the house, and the top floors of the house sticking out above the bottom. The houses either side were more modern, not having had the advantage of being preserved by magic.

The large door swung open, revealing Andromeda on the other side. She ushered Sirius in with a tight smile, looking stressed. Sirius frowned, resting a hand on her shoulder as he stepped into the house, "Are you all right, Andie?"

"I'm fine." Sirius raised an incredulous eyebrow, she looked exhausted. She sighed as they both took seats in the parlour, "Oh, alright. Grandfather visited me at work yesterday."

"What?! As in, our shared grandfather? Pollux? What the _fuck_ for?"

Andromeda took a fortifying sip of the glass of elf wine she had just been provided with by her House Elf, "He heard about the new heir, and wanted to find out the gossip from me."

"From _you?_ The blood traitor that he blasted from the family tree?"

"Yes, apparently Narcissa wouldn't talk to him, and he didn't want to see Arcturus, so I was the next logical choice."

"What the hell?"

"I think it's the Black madness, honestly."

"It's clear where mother got hers. Merlin. What did he want to know about Alphard?!" Sirius clenched his teeth angrily, the thought of his grandfather getting anywhere near his son was terrifying, and made him furious.

Andromeda looked just as uneasy, and angry, as Sirius, speaking through her teeth tensely, "Whether he was pureblood."

"He _what?!"_

"And whether you had finally managed to, and I quote, 'find an appropriate bride who didn't sully the good name of Black'."

"I ought to visit him to just punch his teeth out. What fucking business is it of his?! The grandfather who didn't care about anyone past blood purity, and the family name." Sirius seethed, downing his own glass of elf wine heatedly. "I wish Marlene hadn't been pureblood, just so I could rub Alphard's blood status in his face." Andromeda scoffed in amusement, clearly in agreement with Sirius over what Pollux deserved – and it certainly wasn't any kindness or consideration from the rest of the family.

"Moving on from our awful grandfather," Andromeda started, frowning as she took another sip of her elf wine. "What was _Narcissa_ saying to you last month?" She said Narcissa with a sneer, not wanting to admit that she should me moving past such childish behaviour.

Sirius sighed, unused to being the mature one in a conversation, "I was saying to her that we could be friends again and move on from rivalry, now that the war is over. I will be setting up a playdate between Draco and Alphard in the future, I'm sure." Andromeda scowled. "She had no choice, Andie. It wasn't Narcissa that blasted you, or me, off the family tree. That honour went to our parents, and Pollux."

Andromeda scoffed irately, but nodded in defeat, "I know. It didn't stop her from trying to stay in contact, though."

Sirius, not usually the rational party in a conversation, sighed. "You know it did, Andie." He refused to elaborate any further, no Black had been exempt from the awful expectations placed on them by the older generations, and Andromeda understood Narcissa's position just as well as Sirius did. Their escapes were a rare occurrence in their family – their great-uncle Marius' fate was a much more common incidence for those who didn't fit the ideal pureblood view that the Black family had carried before, and throughout, the war.

Silence fell as they both considered their positions within the Black family, and the way that the war could have easily turned out for the worse for them. For Arcturus, the Black family reputation was the most important, and if Voldemort had won, there was no way that Arcturus would have accepted two such well known blood traitors back into the midst of the Black family.

"What else did she want, Sirius? You wouldn't have been so reluctant to talk to me about it if it was just about Alphard and Draco."

"She wants to reconnect with you, Andie."

"What?!" Andromeda was incredulous, leaning back in her chair in shock. "Seriously?"

Sirius grinned, "Yep."

"Even whilst she's still with that awful husband of hers?"

"Apparently." Sirius took a hearty gulp of his elf wine, while he waited for Andromeda to digest the information he'd just provided her with. "She won't contact you on her own, Andie. She wants to talk to you desperately, but you've got to be the one to contact her. Otherwise you'll both just be waiting the other to contact you." Andromeda grimaced, and said nothing, "I don't know that you want me to say, but I'm sure you'd love to see your sister again. I mean now that Pollux and Cygnus have no say in your lives anymore. Just try, Andie."

Andromeda sighed, but nodded, finally exclaiming, "Fine! I will. When did you get to be such a persistent bastard, Sirius?"

 **20** **th** **May 1982  
10:47pm  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

They had been living in Black Manor for over five months now, and the three of them had settled into a comfortable routine of teaching Alphard how to be a good young wizard, and mucking about with James' invisibility cloak that Dumbledore had finally given to Sirius after the two Marauders pestered him for months. Sirius had finally bitten the bullet, and contacted Narcissa about getting Alphard and Draco together just over a month ago. Alphard was currently spending the night at Malfoy Manor, getting to know his cousin.

Sirius was relieved to be able to spend an evening with no young kid sapping away all his energy. Remus, who had gotten a temporary job in a muggle bookshop, had gone out an hour ago on a date, with some muggle girl. Even with the 500 galleons collecting interest in his Gringotts bank account, and no need to worry about the house he lived in, or any of the food or bills considering Sirius was so rich that he could never spend all of the money in the Black accounts in two lifetimes (even with other people taking money from them), he couldn't rest and let himself not worry about money.

Sirius settled onto the large comfortable sofa in the parlour, with a glass of firewhisky in one hand and the remote for the muggle TV, which he had altered to work with magic, in the other. He jumped out of his skin when there was a resounding knock on the door that echoed throughout the manor. "What the _FUCK_!?" He shouted, firewhisky sloshing over his hand, and into his lap. He grumbled as he got up, flicking his wand to clear up the wasted firewhisky, and headed towards the door of the large Manor, carrying his glass with him, as it was still half-full.

He was put out that he probably had to now socialise with some annoying family member come to visit him on his night off. Sometimes being accepted back into the family had its downsides. He swung the door open with a growl, and promptly dropped the rest of his firewhisky.

"Hi, big brother."


	18. Regulus Black

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I've been learning to drive, and been really busy woops! Thank you everyone for your lovely comments on the last chapter :D**

 **20** **th** **May 1982**

 **10:47pm  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

" _What the FUCK!?" He shouted, firewhisky sloshing over his hand, and into his lap. He grumbled as he got up, flicking his wand to clear up the wasted firewhisky, and headed towards the door of the large Manor, carrying his glass with him, as it was still half-full._

 _He was put out that he probably had to now socialise with some annoying family member come to visit him on his night off. Sometimes being accepted back into the family had its downsides. He swung the door open with a growl, and promptly dropped the rest of his firewhisky._

" _Hi, big brother."_

Sirius spluttered, half-formed words falling from his lips, as he stared distrustfully at the visage of his dead younger brother standing before him. Looking, for all intents and purposes, very much alive. His wand was out, and pointed at the imposter disguised as Regulus Arcturus Black, in seconds. "Who the _hell_ are you!? And why the hell are you pretending to be my dead traitor of a brother?" Sirius' could barely conceal the wobble in his voice as he looked at the fake Regulus; he had always regretted that he hadn't been able to save Regulus from the Death Eaters.

"I'm not an imposter, Siri. I promise." Regulus held his hands up placatingly when Sirius aimed the wand at his head with a snarl.

"You don't get to call me that." Sirius snapped, "Only Regulus could."

"I am Regulus! Please, Sirius."

Sirius snarled, his wand not wavering, "Prove it. Regulus died in '79 because he was an idiot who joined the Death Eaters."

"I didn't die. How do I prove it?"

"Tell me something only Regulus would know."

The imposter took a deep breath, and looked into Sirius' eyes intently, "When I was six and you were eight I broke mother's precious heirloom, and you took the blame. Mother cast _Cruciatus_ on you, and you never broke, or told her it was me."

Sirius gaped like a fish for a second at Regulus, but compelled himself to ask the other question he needed to, before he could let his baby brother into the Manor, "You were a Death Eater Regulus, how do I know that you're not still one?"

"That's actually one of the reasons I've been hiding for the last three years. I tried to leave the Death Eaters before my supposed death, because I realised how truly awful they were."

Sirius stared for what felt like forever. He was assessing whether to believe him, before reaching out, and pulling his long-lost baby brother into his arms in a rough hug, "Reg? You're really alive!? HOW?" Regulus was clinging to Sirius just as tightly, and Sirius could feel hot tears seeping into his muggle t-shirt, just as he knew his tears would be soaking Regulus' black curls.

"I've missed you, big brother." Regulus admitted into Sirius' chest, it was muffled but Sirius still understood it. He was surprised at the outpouring of emotion from his usually rather stoic younger brother, but didn't protest.

"Why did you join them, Reg?" Sirius' voice was anguished. The question had been plaguing him since his seventh year, when he'd found out that Regulus had joined the Death Eaters. Regulus pulled back from the hug, and Sirius stepped back to let him in the house. The younger Black brother was dishevelled, his once silky, short black curls were to his shoulders; unkempt and dirty, and his pale grey eyes had bags under them.

"I… Siri."

"Right." Sirius spun on his heel, and dragged Regulus into the parlour after him. He pushed his little brother into one of the large squashy armchairs, and flicked his wand at the fireplace to light a fire and warm the airy room. Regulus watched on in a daze as Sirius poured him a large glass of water, and shouted for a House Elf by the name of Flissy to make a large, nourishing meal. Sirius pushed the glass of water into Regulus' hands, and sent Regulus a wide smile when the latter looked up at him.

"I didn't expect it to be you here, you know?" Regulus finally said quietly, his voice still hoarse, after not speaking to anyone for the last three years, despite the water he'd just gulped down.

"Eat," Sirius responded, gesturing at the bowl of rice and vegetables that had just been placed in front of Regulus, "I live here now." Regulus tucked into the bowl with relish, raising an eyebrow at Sirius, encouraging him to carry on. "Grandfather passed it on to me, as the heir, after my name was cleared."

"When the hell did you get back on good terms with the family?"

"I have cousin Callidora to thank for that."

"What, Longbottom?" Regulus' voice was high with surprise.

"Yeah." Sirius chuckled, "She organised the family to clear my name, and get Pettigrew put in Azkaban."

"Clear your name?!" Regulus demanded incredulously. "What the hell has been happening whilst I've been in hiding!?"

"After-" Sirius swallowed audibly and broke eye contact with his brother, "After the Potters' deaths, everyone thought that I'd betrayed them to Voldemort, because I was the original secret keeper."

"Why the _fuck_ would anyone think that you would betray James Potter? Do you know how jealous I was that he became your brother in everything but blood?" Regulus exclaimed, astonishment written across his features.

"I was the obvious choice, and the Wizarding world is stupid. They switched to Pettigrew at the last minute, and that turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life." Sirius growled, pouring himself a new glass of firewhisky and throwing it back.

"Fucking Merlin." Regulus rolled his eyes, summoning the firewhisky and pouring himself a glass. "Doesn't explain why grandfather passed the Manor on to you, though. That usually doesn't happen until the heir is married."

Sirius paused, eyes wide as he realised Regulus didn't know about Alphard, "I- I, err, have a son."

"WHAT?!" Regulus spat his mouthful of firewhisky all over the floor in front of him. "You," Regulus gestured at Sirius with his glass, "Sirius Black, have a son?! Since when?!"

"Since he was born." Sirius responded, smirking.

"Yes, thank you, Sirius. I meant _when_ was he born?"

"31st July 1980." Sirius and Remus had agreed not to change Alphard's birthday after Sirius had blood adopted him, as this would end up confusing them too much.

"Who the hell is the mother?"

"Marlene McKinnon. She- um, she died."

"Shit. Sorry, Sirius."

"Yeah." Sirius leaned back in the sofa, resting his hands on his stomach as he briefly contemplated whether to tell Regulus about Harry. He decided in the end that it wasn't something he wanted to keep from his younger brother. "That's the story that we're telling everyone, at least."

Regulus looked up from contemplating his empty bowl completely astounded, "What? What the hell do you mean that's what you're telling everyone?"

"When I arrived at the cottage in Godric's Hollow, Lily and James were already dead, but Harry, their son was still alive."

"Wait. I haven't read much news since I went into hiding, but even I couldn't miss the news about the Potters' deaths. It said Harry died." Regulus frowned at his brother, confused.

"Well, if you'd let me finish," Sirius started with a wink, "I took Harry away before Dumbledore could get his hands on him and take him away somewhere. I'm his godfather, so I blood adopted him to keep him safe from the crazy Wizarding world who would've worshipped him as the saviour for defeating Voldemort."

"How the hell did you convince everyone that Harry Potter died?"

"I transfigured a blanket to look like him, and let Dumbledore and Hagrid find it."

Regulus raised an eyebrow with an incredulous smirk at his brother, "That's cruel for you, brother." Sirius flinched slightly, and nodded sheepishly. "What's Harry called now? I assume you didn't leave him called Harry Potter."

Sirius snorted, "I'm not stupid, Reggie." Regulus just sent Sirius a blank look, at which Sirius stuck his tongue out. "He's called Alphard James Black. Now, you need to explain, Reg."

He took a fortifying gulp of his firewhisky, and raised an eyebrow at Sirius' inquisitive look. "What do you want to know, Siri?"

Sirius opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say anything there was a loud whoosh, and the flames in the fireplace turned a bright green. Both Black brothers jumped to their feet, wands in hand, and exchanged panicked looks as someone stepped through the floo.

Sirius relaxed, and sagged back into the sofa, when he recognised the dark golden floppy hair, and tall, lean physique of his best friend. He gestured that Regulus could relax too. Regulus sent him a confused look, and hesitantly sat back down, still gripping his wand tightly in his hand.

"PADFO… Oh." Remus straightened up from dusting his clothes of soot, halfway through shouting for Sirius, and saw him sitting on the sofa right in front of him. "Didn't think you'd be in here, Padfoot."

"Evening, Moony." Sirius said cheerfully, ignoring the end of Remus' sentence, "How was the date?" He winked at the werewolf, grinning mischievously when Remus frowned at him, and hiding the jealousy and hurt that welled up in him at the idea of Remus dating someone that wasn't him.

Remus took a step into the room, the frown on his face getting deeper as he examined Sirius' face for any signs of deception. "What are you trying to distract me from, Padfoot?"

"Nothing of course, my dear friend." Sirius smirked when Remus just scoffed and pulled out his wand as he turned to survey the rest of the room. Sirius could tell the exact moment when Remus realised that the smell and sound of Regulus was what Sirius had been trying to distract him from.

Remus' wand was pointed in the face of the supposed intruder in seconds, and his eyes didn't waver from the face of Sirius' dead brother when he shakily asked, "What the _fuck_ is going on, Sirius?"

Sirius stood slowly, not wanting to antagonise the antsy werewolf any more, and put his hand on Remus' tense shoulder. "He's really Regulus, Moony. I've checked. He's my baby brother."

"How the hell is he here?"

Sirius pulled Remus to sit on the sofa beside him. The werewolf was still very tense as he perched on the sofa, and kept his hand clenched tightly around his wand. "Well, if you'd take a breath and relax a bit then we could both find out. Reg was about to tell us."

"I- Sirius. Are you _sure_?" Remus slowly slackened back into the sofa when Sirius nodded firmly, an expression of extreme shock on his face as he stared incredulously at Regulus. "I- Wha- _How_?!"

"Shall I explain myself then?" Regulus finally asked after almost a minute of awkward silence as Remus stared suspiciously at him, and Sirius just smirked. "And maybe you could introduce me to your boyfriend, Sirius." He teased.

Sirius rolled his eyes, his heart clenching in his chest at the idea of Remus being his boyfriend, "You're as bad as grandfather, Reg. He's not my boyfriend. He's Remus Lupin, one of my best friends from Hogwarts." Sirius pretended that it wasn't really obvious to his brother that he was protesting too vehemently.

"Oh, yes. One of your little marooders, right?" Remus noticed the hidden smirk on Regulus' face as he teased his older brother. He relaxed slightly at the evidence that Regulus obviously knew Sirius well.

Sirius scoffed, an offended pout appearing as he protested, "It's the Marauders, Reg!"

"He knows that, Padfoot." Remus said with a laugh.

"That's not important now." Regulus interrupted when Sirius opened his mouth to argue, "I've got important things to tell you, so I need to explain to you how I'm still alive first."

Sirius nodded, and sighed, sitting forward on the sofa intently. "We're gonna need drinks," He summoned the firewhisky bottle from beside Regulus, and a clean glass for Remus, and poured them all a large helping. Regulus reached out, grasped the glass when Sirius levitated it to him, and took a fortifying swallow.

"It all started with what I mentioned to Sirius earlier. I discovered something that the Dark Lord had done. It was worse than anything else, and it was the impetus I needed to leave."

"What?"

"You-Know-Who needed to borrow Kreacher for some task. I think he was intending for Kreacher to die doing the task so that no one ever found out what he needed a House Elf for." Regulus paused a second to take a bracing sip of his firewhisky, "He underestimated the magic of House Elves. I had ordered Kreacher to come back to me when he was done so he did, regardless of You-Know-Who's orders. He came back incredibly thirsty, and half-mad from something, so I got him to tell me about what had happened."

"How is this relevant, Reg?" Sirius interjected waspishly. Remus whacked him on the arm, rolling his eyes at the elder Black brother.

"If you let him finish, Pads, you might discover."

Regulus snorted lightly, before adopting the sombre demeanour again, "Kreacher told me that the Dark Lord had taken him to a cave in the middle of nowhere, with water coming in from the ocean to the mouth. He then raised a small boat, only big enough for two, from the murky water in the cave and took Kreacher across to a small rocky island in the middle of the lake." Regulus swallowed tightly, not wanting to relieve his own rather traumatic memories of the very same cave, even knowing that he would have to. "There was a basin filled with a pale potion, standing on a dais in the middle of the small island. The Dark Lord forced Kreacher to drink the potion from the basin. Kreacher described the pain as excruciating. When Kreacher was done, the basin stood empty, and he begged for water to quench the unbelievable thirst. The Dark Lord placed a locket in the empty basin, and filled it with the same potion again."

Regulus grabbed the bottle of firewhisky off the table, and took a large swallow of the alcohol straight from the bottle. Sirius was looking morbidly fascinated, and Remus was scowling as Regulus told them his tale.

"You-Know-Who took the boat back to the entrance of the cave by himself and left Kreacher suffering on the island. Eventually Kreacher crawled to the water to quench his thirst. Inferi came rising out of the depths and began dragging Kreacher down with them. The only thing that saved him was my order to come back to me. I nursed him back to health and then once he was well again I transfigured a locket to look identical to the one already in the basin." Sirius stood suddenly from the sofa, his body stiff with anger as he started pacing, knowing where this explanation was going.

Regulus leant back in his armchair and tried, unsuccessfully, to relax a little. "Kreacher took me to the cave. Once we reached the island I ordered him to feed me all of the potion, to take the locket that was already in there when he was done, replace it with the replica, and destroy the original at all costs. I ordered him not to tell anyone what had happened. He did all of this, the potion was like liquid _Cruciatus_ and as I was being dragged under the water by the Inferi, fully ready to die if it meant that the Dark Lord would be conquered, I realised that I needed to live – even if it was to stop Kreacher being alone with only mother as company. I called Kreacher, he rescued me, and took me to a safe house in Bulgaria."

Sirius frowned for a second, before realisation hit him, "Great Aunt Cassie's hideout? You mean she knew you were alive?!"

Regulus shook his head. "No. I disillusioned myself whenever she went there – which was only twice in the three years. But anyway, more important things. I knew that with You-Know-Who still at large there was no way I could come out of hiding until he was gone. So, I researched. I only heard last month that he was defeated and that's why it's taken me this long to come back."

"We're going to have to get grandfather to reinstate you." Sirius muttered to himself as he took his own seat again.

"Can't you do it now that you're the Head of House?" Remus asked with a frown.

"Shit, yeah. I keep forgetting about that."

Both Remus and Regulus rolled their eyes, before Remus changed the subject, turning to look at Regulus. "What were you researching?" He asked, intrigued.

"Of course, it would be you and not my brother who picked up on that part." Regulus smiled grimly. "I was researching horcruxes."


	19. Horcruxes

**A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter :D Hope you like this one - sorry for the long wait.. I'm still writing chapter 21 so there will probably be a long wait until the next chapter too.**

" _What were you researching?" Remus asked, intrigued._

" _Of course, it would be you and not my brother who picked up on that part." Regulus smiled grimly. "I was researching horcruxes."_

 **21** **st** **May 1982  
12:37am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

"What the fuck is a Horcrux?!" Sirius demanded, flopping back into his seat with a huff and leaning forward to grab a handful of the crisps that Flissy had brought for them half an hour ago.

"Very dark magic." Remus responded, shivering, "They would smell worse than any other magic I'm assuming."

"I was going to ask about that, actually." Regulus said, ignoring Sirius' annoyed muttering at being brushed off. "How the hell do you smell dark magic?"

Remus shifted uneasily in his seat, and sent a pleading glance at Sirius, who spoke up. "I'm surprised you didn't work it out, Reg. I thought you were meant to be the intelligent and cunning one?"

Regulus scowled at his older brother and Remus sighed, "I didn't want you to annoy Regulus, Padfoot." He turned his eyes away from the Black brothers, not wanting to see Sirius' protective expression or Regulus' inevitable horrified face when he spoke again. "I'm a werewolf, and as dark creatures we can smell dark magic."

"You're _not_ a dark creature, Moony!" Sirius snapped angrily, scowling at his best friend when he started to protest. "Werewolves may be classified like that, but there is no way you are in any way a dark creature. When will you get that through your head?!" Remus looked cowed and Sirius was still glowering at him.

"Wait." Regulus interrupted, his voice incredulous, "Are you telling me that those stupid nicknames you call each other are based off of Lupin here being a werewolf?! Moony? Really?"

"Well we were thirteen at the time. What do you expect?" Remus smiled in amusement.

"I happen to think they are very sophisticated names, Moony."

"They are pretty ridiculous, Pads."

Sirius scoffed and opened his mouth to protest, but Regulus interrupted before he could, "As interesting as your bickering is," Regulus started sarcastically, "There are much more pressing matters."

"Yeah, like what the hell is a Horcrux?" Sirius snarled, pouring himself another glass of firewhisky and downing it.

"It's a vessel that you place a fragment of your soul into through a dark ritual that involves having to brutally murder someone, which twists your soul so much that you can then place a part of it into the vessel. It can be any ordinary object, but it then becomes almost impossible to destroy, especially if there are protections placed around it."

"Why the hell were you researching such dark magic, Reg?" Sirius demanded, frowning and crossing his arms over his chest.

Remus started beside Sirius and turned wide, horrified eyes on Regulus, "He didn't…"

"Yes, he did." Sirius retorted, looking confounded, Remus tried desperately to convince himself that he didn't find Sirius ridiculously adorable with that expression, "He literally just told us he did, Moony."

"No- Pads. Voldemort."

"What?"

"Voldemort made a Horcrux." Regulus interrupted the confused argument rising between the best friends, "The locket that I stole was a Horcrux. I've been researching how to destroy them, and I believe that he most likely had more than one of them." Remus and Sirius' jaws fell open and the former looked vaguely sick as he considered the process that would have had to have occurred to achieve multiple horcruxes. "I need your help, both of you, to destroy them. We need to ensure that Voldemort can never come back to life."

"What do you mean?" Sirius' voice was serious for once; hushed and horrified.

"Horcruxes contain soul fragments, so they keep you alive even if your mortal body has died." Regulus explained, looking queasy himself now.

"So, Voldemort isn't dead? Lily and James died for nothing?!" Sirius exploded. Remus gaped in horror and the two Marauders exchanged dismayed looks. Sirius flopped back into the sofa in shock, his empty glass hanging from his hand over the armrest.

"How do we destroy them?" Remus finally asked, after a few minutes of disturbed silence.

Sirius sat up again, casting a glance at the clock on the wall, "Look, can we talk about this tomorrow after some sleep? I'm fucking knackered and I need a chance to process this."

"Sirius is right." Regulus agreed, standing up from his chair. "We can talk about this more tomorrow when we're all properly awake."

Remus and Sirius rose from the sofa as well, heading out of the parlour to the grand staircase that rose from the front hall through the four floors of the Manor.

"I'll contact Fawley about getting Regulus reinstated." Remus said as the three stood in the hall, he turned on his heel and headed out of one of the side doors to Micro's room.

"Fawley?"

"He's an Auror." Sirius started up the stairs to the third floor, where the family bedrooms were located, "He helped clear my name and he's the one who ensured that no one would ever know that Harry had survived. We can trust him to make sure you get reinstated as alive and we'll get the family to help clear your name too."

"It won't be as easy, you know, clearing my name. I have a dark mark, and I _was_ a Death Eater." Regulus pointed out as they headed up the stairs.

"Fuck. Didn't think of that."

"Aunt Cassiopeia is a lawyer, brother. If anyone is going to succeed it will be her."

"Yeah." Sirius conceded, stopping on the landing of the third floor as they reached it. "We're going to have to call another bloody Black family meeting, aren't we?"

Regulus laughed, "Yep. We need to inform them that I'm still alive." Sirius nodded in annoyance, pulling a face at the idea of having all of their family descend on the Manor again. "My bedroom?" Regulus asked as they headed down the corridor in the direction of the bedrooms.

Sirius paused in front of his door and gestured further down the hall, "The same as before." Regulus nodded and disappeared down the hall to his room just as Remus came around the corner from the stairs and headed into his own bedroom.

 **21** **st** **May 1982  
9:30am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

Sirius had slept as late as he possibly could that morning, but over six months of having a one and a half year old in the house meant that he could rarely make himself sleep later than nine in the morning. When he'd arrived in the breakfast room in the morning Remus and Regulus were already seated at the table working their way through the food that Flissy had prepared for them.

Sirius took a seat at the table and pulled a plate towards himself, stuffing a sausage into his mouth as he grinned at his brother and best friend.

"When's Alice bringing Alphard back, Pads?" Remus took a gulp of his lukewarm tea and leant back in his chair. He was comfortably full, a rarity for the werewolf who had grown up eating the bare minimum before Hogwarts.

"I think she said she'd floo over after midday. They're taking Neville and Alphard to the beach this morning."

"Good." Regulus spoke up for the first time that morning, taking a delicate sip of his cup of coffee. "Then we can talk about how far I've got and what we have left to do."

Sirius sighed and reached over to grab the bowl of fried tomatoes from beside Regulus, "Do we have to talk about the bloody horcruxes before I've finished eating breakfast?" He grumbled, lifting a forkful of his fry-up to his mouth and chewing angrily.

"Sirius this is serious." Remus paused and lifted a preventative hand, "Don't even make the joke, Padfoot. We need to discuss these horcruxes. We have to destroy them as soon as possible."

Regulus nodded, folding his hands around his mug and leaning forward, "I've put as much research into them as I possibly could without the right resources. But the library here will have much more information on the subject. I assume there will be multiple ways to destroy them, we just need to find out what they are and work out what the hell the other ones are and how many there are."

"I'd guess seven parts of his soul." Remus suggested, looking vaguely nauseous at the idea.

"SEVEN?!" Sirius shouted, revolted. "That would mean he'd have to make six horcruxes. Surely no one could do that?"

"You don't know how evil he is, Sirius, it's completely feasible, and you know that seven is an incredibly powerful magical number." Regulus rationalised. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was how many he'd made. But we still don't know what they all are."

"Do you have any idea at all?" Remus sounded resigned, gulping down the rest of his now cold tea.

"I might do, there were some interesting conversations I heard in his headquarters from both Bella and Lucius."

"And the ways to destroy them?"

"Apart from assuming that _Avada Kedavra_ will destroy them, the only reference I ever found to destroying horcruxes was a vague line about _Fiendfyre_. Unfortunately, books referencing such dark magic are incredibly rare to find, and considering I was in hiding they were even harder for me to get. Even when I did find them, none of them detailed how to destroy horcruxes – if you're making one after all, then you don't want the information on how to destroy them readily available do you?" Regulus sounded frustrated and Remus and Sirius could tell that this had been holding him up for a while.

Sirius sighed in frustration, "We'll definitely have some books on horcruxes in the library, considering how dark our family has been for centuries." Regulus nodded in agreement.

"So, what do you think the ones are that you may know about?" Remus interrupted the obviously sour thoughts that the Black brothers were having about their family.

Regulus sighed and poured himself another cup of coffee from the cafetiere in the middle of the large table. "Well I overheard Bellatrix bragging to Barty Crouch Jr. that the 'dark lord' had trusted her with a precious object that no one else had the privilege of guarding."

"And?" Sirius demanded, leaning forward in his seat until he was almost teetering on the edge of it. "Did she say what it was?"

"Not in so many words."

"What the _hell_ does that mean?"

"I'm a Slytherin, Sirius."

"Yes, thanks, I know that."

"So is Bellatrix. I can read through what she's saying to discover what she isn't saying. Luckily for us, Barty isn't as intelligent as me." Regulus gracefully ignored Sirius' amused snort. "As far as I could tell You-Know-You gave Bellatrix something that had belonged to one of the Hogwarts founders. Not something Slytherin because she would have been more bragging and I've already got Slytherin's locket, and certainly not something Gryffindor because she would have been disgusted then. I think it's something that belonged to Hufflepuff, by her indifference to the actual object. If it's a famous heirloom, like Slytherin's locket, then I'm sure it'll be Hufflepuff's cup."

"How the hell did you get all that from reading between the lines?" Sirius asked incredulously, exchanging amazed looks with Remus.

"I'm a Slytherin. It's what we do." Regulus smirked at the two Gryffindor's sceptical looks, "I don't know where she's keeping it, but we can work that out later."

"Malfoy?" Remus asked, _accio-ing_ the teapot to himself and pouring a new cup of tea, "You mentioned him. Do you think he has one too?"

"Almost definitely. I saw You-Know-You giving him a small, black, leather-bound diary, and telling Lucius to guard it with his life. He told Malfoy that if he lost it then he would _Crucio_ him until he lost his mind and wouldn't allow him the release of death until after that point." Regulus shivered. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, of course, but once I'd found the locket and started seriously considering the horcruxes it seemed like obvious evidence of more than one."

Sirius frowned in anger. "I wish I could look that fucker in the eyes when we destroy his horcruxes." He growled, clenching his fists furiously.

"We all do, Padfoot. But I'd rather just destroy him and never have to deal with him existing again." Remus looked entirely revolted at the thought of tangible evidence that the horcruxes existed. Regulus nodded in agreement and Sirius just grumbled.

"You'll need to call the meeting for tonight, Sirius. We don't want to delay any longer." Regulus rose from the table, calling for Flissy to clear up the table, "We need to start researching now. Sirius, you go contact the family. Lupin and I will start looking for suitable books in the library." Remus nodded his agreement and followed Regulus up to the first floor where the ground floor of the three-story library was located.

Sirius headed to the back of the Manor where the little room for Micro was located next to the large, uncharacteristically airy for the Black family, kitchen. He settled down at the oversized table in the kitchen and summoned a quill, ink and multiple sheaves of parchment to the table.

He dipped the quill carefully in the ink and started composing the notes to send to the Black family members. Once the fifteen short letters inviting them had been completed he sent them off with Micro and headed upstairs to help Remus and Regulus with their research.

 **21** **st** **May 1982  
7pm  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

Sirius had flooed Alice after sending the invitations off earlier, and asked her to take care of Alphard for another night whilst the Black family had their meeting. She had agreed and taken the invite for Frank from him.

By seven that evening the ten House Elves that Sirius had in his employ, led by a marshalling Flissy, had prepared a large feast of multiple dishes to rival the Hogwarts elves. The food was all laid out on the table in the formal dining room under heating charms and each seat had a name carefully placed in front of it. As the new head of the Manor, the heir to the House of Black, and the host of the dinner/meeting, Sirius was to be seated at the head of the table, with Arcturus to his right in the usual place of heir.

There was a resounding knock on the front door just as Sirius grabbed a bread roll from the table to eat. He grumbled and stuffed half of the roll in his mouth and headed out of the dining room down the large hall to the front door. He yanked it open, grinning through his mouthful at Andromeda, Ted, and Nymphadora. He gestured them in and led them through to the dining room. He left Flissy to answer the door when everyone else arrived.

Regulus was waiting in the next room, hidden out of sight until Sirius introduced him as alive again. They had agreed that that was a better way than having everyone reacting at different times to Regulus' presence. He listened to Sirius call for silence over the loud chattering of the family and then waited with baited breath as his older brother re-introduced him.

Sirius took a deep breath and looked over the curious faces of his relatives, "I found out last night that one of our relatives that we thought was dead is actually alive." Sirius turned to the door behind him and called out, "You can come out now."

Regulus echoed his brother's deep breath and pushed the heavy door open.


	20. The Ritual

_**A/N: I'm so sorry for the massively long wait! I hope people are still reading this and liking it. I've honestly lost a little bit of motivation for this story, so I'm posting this chapter, finishing off chapter 21 and finishing the story there. I have other scenes planned out that may one day be added on as extra little fics as a series, but for now this is the penultimate chapter.**_

 _Regulus was waiting in the next room, hidden out of sight until Sirius introduced him as alive again. They had agreed that that was a better way than having everyone reacting at different times to Regulus' presence. He listened to Sirius call for silence over the loud chattering of the family, and then waited with baited breath as his older brother re-introduced him._

 _Sirius took a deep breath and looked over the curious faces of his relatives, "I found out last night that one of our relatives that we thought was dead, is actually alive." Sirius turned to the door behind him and called out, "You can come out now."_

 _Regulus echoed his brother's deep breath, and pushed the heavy door open._

 **21** **st** **May 1982  
7pm  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

"What the _fuck_?!"

"Sirius… What?"

"How the hell did you do it, Sirius?"

" _Regulus?"_

"WAIT, wait! That's Regulus Black?"

"Reggie?" Narcissa Malfoy's whisper cut through the cacophony of voices echoing around the large dining table as she rose to her feet, a lone pale blonde beacon in a sea of dark heads. Narcissa had been as close to Regulus as though they were brother and sister, and had gone into long mourning when he'd been pronounced dead.

"It's really me, Cissa." He confirmed, his rich voice thick with emotion at seeing his family all together around the table. He opened his arms to his cousin, who practically flew across the room and into them. He hugged her to him tightly and this seemed to break the spell that had fallen around the room when she'd spoken, and suddenly everyone was demanding answers from Sirius and Regulus again.

Sirius finally shouted "Quiet!" into the din of voices and everyone settled down, looking at Sirius expectantly for an explanation. He swallowed convulsively and glanced at Remus to reassure himself, his friend's presence calming him, before clearing his throat and turning back to the assembled Black family.

"Speak up, boy. How on Earth is Regulus suddenly alive, and standing here before us?" Arcturus' deep voice resonated around the room, and halted any other questions or conversations going on.

"Well, I'll leave the actual explanation to Reggie." Sirius finally said into the quiet of the room, "He turned up last night out of the blue and I've done all the checks to make sure that he is who he says he is. This man is Regulus Black, without a doubt."

Regulus took the empty seat beside Sirius, and repeated his explanation from yesterday, avoiding mentioning Horcruxes (or the fact that Voldemort was actually not as dead and gone as most people thought) just in case one of the darker Black family members got the idea to try to make one themselves.

When he was finished he took a big gulp of water from the glass Narcissa had placed in front of him and relaxed back into his seat with a weary sigh. The shocked silence from his relatives seemed to resonate around the table as they all watched him in surprise.

 **2** **nd** **June 1982  
11:24am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

The meeting with the rest of the Black family had been hectic, and highly informative. After only a week Regulus' name was cleared, and he was reinstated as alive. He moved into Black Manor whilst he and the Marauders researched the possible ways to destroy Horcruxes.

The morning of the 2nd of June found Regulus seated across from Remus at one of the tables in the vast library, and Sirius draped over one of the nearby sofas, a large book hovering above his face as he scanned the information contained within. Regulus smirked as he watched Remus covertly checking out the length of Sirius' lithe body stretched out on the sofa, his muggle t-shirt riding up and revealing a strip of tanned, slightly hairy, toned skin. Remus was practically drooling, and Regulus was struggling to hold in his laughter.

"Holy Merlin- SHIT! Fucking ow!" The shout made Regulus almost jump out of his seat in surprise, and Remus spill his half-full mug of lukewarm tea all over himself, looking guilty at being shocked out of his aroused reverie. Both men stared in confusion at Sirius, who was clutching his head as he sat up hunched over on the sofa.

"What the fuck happened?" Remus demanded, waving his wand irritably to vanish the tea he had spilled.

Sirius mumbled something incoherent, and Regulus rolled his eyes. He summoned Flissy who fetched a pain potion for Sirius. Regulus then healed the large bruise already forming on his older brother's forehead and, when Sirius was finally coherent enough to respond, repeated the question Remus had initially asked.

"I've found it!"

"What?"

"There is a list in this book of various ways to destroy Horcruxes. Most of them require that we find the bloody things first, though." Sirius grumbled.

"Why the hell did that lead to you swearing like that?" Regulus enquired sarcastically.

"I was surprised, and the book fell on me." Sirius mumbled, looking away from his brother and best friend in embarrassment. Remus burst out laughing, bending over with his hands on his knees as he tried to control his laughter, Regulus smirked at Sirius, letting out a chuckle when the latter frowned at them both. "Shut the hell up."

Remus straightened up, sat back down in his seat, and _accioed_ said book to himself. Regulus and Sirius took seats either side of him as he used his wand to determine which page Sirius had been on. The book flipped open to the chapter entitled _'The various ways to dispose of Horcruxes'_.

"Well that's helpful." Remus commented with surprise.

Regulus was already scanning the first few paragraphs, flipping the pages hurriedly as he scanned through the information contained within. "Here's one," He finally declared after reading through four pages with Remus and Sirius commenting every now and again on some of the information contained within the book. It took an hour to finish reading the chapter, and comprise a list of the four most feasible ways that the book had listed to destroy Horcruxes.

"Only one of them doesn't require that we need to find every bloody Horcrux," Sirius pointed out, scanning the list quickly. "Seems like the best one to go with, considering we have no idea what the hell most of them are, or even how many there actually are."

Regulus nodded in agreement, "Especially because basilisk venom would be very hard to procure without a licence as a potions master, which none of us have, and both _Fiendfyre_ and _Avada Kedavra_ are difficult and illegal spells, they'd take us months to perfect to be able to destroy the Horcruxes we wouldn't even be able to find."

Remus hummed and flipped the book back to the double-page spread which detailed a two-part ritual to call all of the pieces of a soul together into one object, and then destroy them. "We're going to need to recruit some people to help us with this ritual, it requires at least six to cast the spells."

"Oh, great." Sirius quipped, "Another Black family meeting."

"We won't have to invite everyone." Remus pointed out, "Just the people we think will be receptive to helping."

Regulus snorted quietly, "The ones we know won't use the knowledge of Horcruxes for bad reasons, you mean."

Sirius smirked in agreement with his brother, mind furiously working in the background as he debated who would be best to help them, "Well Alice and Frank will definitely help, we can invite them over for dinner when they bring Alphard back."

Regulus was furiously making notes as Sirius and Remus debated on who to invite. In the end it was decided to make the number seven as it was a greater magical number, and invite Callidora Longbottom and Cedrella Weasley as they were both powerful witches who would be willing to help. For the first time since Regulus had informed them of the nature of Voldemort's evil, Remus and Sirius felt confident that he would finally be destroyed for good.

 **3** **rd** **June 1982  
3pm  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

The important materials needed for the ritual luckily weren't very obscure. Remus had managed to find most of the ingredients for the potion that Regulus needed to brew, within a few minutes of searching through the extensive potions lab in Black Manor. To the amazement of the three, the potion only needed a few hours to brew, and once it was done the ritual could be performed as soon as possible.

They invited everyone over for a meeting to discuss the ritual the next day, and everyone had arrived by 3pm, curious and intrigued. Flissy led the visitors through to the dining room where a large lunch was served. Sirius and Remus were conspicuously absent as Regulus directed the Longbottoms and Cedrella to take seats.

Callidora settled gracefully into the chair opposite Regulus, a frown marring her delicate features, "Where are Sirius and Remus, Regulus?"

Everyone started helping themselves to the multitude of dishes laid out in front of them. Regulus pursed his lips in annoyance, a sure sign that his brother had done something he didn't approve of, and huffed out an aggrieved sigh, "The idiot and his friend decided that it would be a great time to teach Alphard flying, the boy crashed of course, so they're upstairs bandaging him up."

Frank's amused chuckle was silenced by the sharp elbow his wife jabbed into his ribs, "Ow! What the hell woman!?"

"How would you feel if it was Neville that had been injured in such a stupid accident?" Alice demanded snippily.

Frank opened his mouth, affronted and ready to defend himself, but Cedrella interrupted before he could get any further than an indignant squawk, "Please do tell us why we're here again so soon, before Frank finds it within himself to start a stupid argument." Frank pouted but was ignored.

"Don't we want to wait for Sirius and Remus?" Alice asked, confused.

"I don't see the point, they must know the content of the meeting seeing as they called it," Cedrella pointed out, to which Regulus nodded.

"She's right. Sirius and Lupin know what I'm going to tell you, it's not essential that they be here for it all." Regulus visibly hesitated, looking away from everyone as he took a hearty pull of the glass of firewhisky in his hand. Callidora and Cedrella, noticeably unruffled by Regulus' avoidance tactics, due to their Slytherin upbringing, kept eating their food. Alice and Frank, clearly worried about the potential bombshell Regulus was about to drop on them, had both started nervously fidgeting.

"Spit it out boy," Callidora finally demanded after nearly a minute of awkward silence.

"What do you know of Horcruxes?" Regulus asked, taking Callidora's advice and not beating around the bush any longer.

Cedrella choked on the potato she had just put in her mouth, and turned disturbed and incredulous eyes on Regulus, "Excuse me?" she finally croaked out once her airway was clear.

"Horcruxes?" Alice was confused, frowning at the horrified looks on the other three at the table.

They all ignored Alice's confusion, too horrified by the concept of Horcruxes, "I know that they're vile pieces of magic." Callidora spat, in answer to Regulus' question. "Why the hell are you bringing them up, Regulus?"

Regulus shifted uneasily in his seat, "We've got a rather large problem." He answered reluctantly.

Cedrella huffed and reached over to slap Regulus upside the head. "Just spit it out for Merlin's sake, Regulus, dragging it out will only piss everyone off." She snapped.

"Voldemort isn't dead." He finally admitted, pushing on with his explanation through the dismayed and shaken silence of the others sitting at the table, "he made multiple Horcruxes, though we're not sure how many. It means that he trapped parts of his soul in dark objects," Regulus explained to Alice who still looked vaguely confused on top of her fear, "and therefore cannot die."

"Well what the _fuck_ are we supposed to do about that?!" Frank shouted into the oppressive silence that followed Regulus' revelation.

"We've found a way to destroy all of the Horcruxes." Came a deep voice from behind them. Frank and Alice, who had their backs to the door, spun around to see Remus and Sirius standing in the doorway.

Remus smiled tightly and stepped further into the room, taking a seat beside Alice whilst Sirius flopped down beside Regulus, "We've spent the last two weeks researching and we've asked you here to help us destroy the Horcruxes, and Voldemort, for good."

"How? How do you destroy such dark pieces of magic?" Callidora asked incredulously, leaning forward in her chair attentively.

"It's a ritual," Regulus explained, "Luckily it doesn't look too hard, provided that we all work together. We've made the potion required and all we need now is your cooperation to make sure that it all goes to plan. It's quite complex though." Remus visibly swallowed nervously as a tense atmosphere built up in the room as a contemplative silence fell over the four guests.

"Show me the ritual, please?" Cedrella finally requested after a few minutes of the oppressive silence. Sirius silently summoned the book in from another room, and with a few flicks opened it to the relevant spread. He slid it across the table so that Cedrella, Callidora, Frank, and Alice could peruse the steps of the ritual.

Remus shifted infinitesimally in his seat as he watched the four read the process needed to destroy Voldemort once and for all. It was the only outward sign of how nervous he truly felt, and Sirius only picked up on it because of how in-tune the two were. Sirius bit his lip, biting so hard that he broke through the skin and blood welled up, as they waited. Regulus showed no apparent signs of nervousness, but Sirius could practically feel the tension radiating off his younger brother.

After what felt like an hour, Cedrella and Callidora exchanged a glance and finally turned to face the three young men. "Do you have the potion ready?" Callidora asked after a long moment of silence where everyone stared at each other and Alice shifted uncertainly in her seat.

Sirius let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in and a grin stole across his face, "We do. We've got everything ready, if you four are willing to help then we can perform the ritual tonight."

"I'm willing, anything to stop that _man_." Cedrella's words were sharp and it was clear that she didn't consider Voldemort a man in any sense of the term.

"Count me and Alice in," Frank said firmly, only glancing at Alice to confirm her agreement before carrying on, "He's the reason that Neville nearly ended up an orphan. We'll do anything we can to stop him."

Callidora just smirked, looking slightly manic, "You really needn't ask, cousins. We'll help. What do you need us to do?"

Regulus smiled grimly and pulled a rolled-up piece of parchment from his robes, "We've written out everyone's roles here. We'll start the ritual at midnight on the dot, so learn what you are to do off by heart. We'll meet at the back door at 11:30 to head out to the sarsen stones at the back of the property."

Sirius and Remus stayed silent, watching pensively as their four guests took the duplicated scrolls from Regulus and disappeared off to other parts of the Manor to rehearse and learn their parts in the ritual. The two Marauders already had a copy each and they settled into their seats at the table more comfortably to grill each other. Regulus left with barely a word to either of them, heading for his own bedroom determinedly.

 **4** **th** **June 1982  
12am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

Midnight rolled around in a rush and an anxious Sirius carried the sleeping Alphard out to the large rune covered sarsen stones that stood on the edge of the extensive Black property. The others ranged themselves at equidistant points in a rough circle around Sirius, who sat with Alphard in the middle of the two circles formed by the stones and his family and friends.


	21. The Aftermath

_**A/N: Two chapters in one night? What's going on… haha! I hope everyone really enjoys this final chapter :D I have got a sequel planned of Alphard's time at Hogwarts – but I don't know when that will be published (or written) I'm afraid.**_

 _ **THIS IS THE END, enjoy:**_

 _Midnight rolled around in a rush and an anxious Sirius carried the sleeping Alphard out to the large rune covered sarsen stones that stood on the edge of the extensive Black property. The others ranged themselves at equidistant points in a rough circle around Sirius, who sat with Alphard in the middle of the two circles formed by the stones and his family and friends._

 **4** **th** **June 1982  
12:02am  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

The six standing around Sirius started chanting the Latin that would start the ritual, and Sirius kept a tight hold of his sleeping son as a warm pale light started rising like a dome around the loose circle.

A rush of cold magic blasted through the group, and everyone swayed on their feet at the pure power contained behind it, Sirius gulped nervously and shouted above the suddenly rushing wind, "Keep going! We're nearly through it!"

As their chanting trailed off, the wind and cold magic died down slightly until only a light breeze was blowing around them within the glowing dome of magic. Now that the protections were in place everyone drew their wands to perform the first major piece of magic in the ritual; forming a pure crystal to pull the soul fragments into.

The spell was the most complex part of the ritual, and involved intense concentration as the seven adults combined their magic forces to create the crystal. Each separate person had a different phrase that they had to ensure they recited at exactly the same time. After the signal from Sirius, they all started repeating their phrases. Remus watched in awe as a pale blue light flowed from his wand, and melded with the green, gold, red, yellow, silver, and violet lights flowing from his companions' wands.

The magic crashed and coalesced in the air above Sirius and Alphard's heads, twisting and turning around each other until with a blinding flash of bright white light a pure crystal formed, and fell to land in Sirius' waiting hands. Everyone finished saying their spells, and stared in awe at what their magic had formed.

Sirius kept a hold of the crystal in one hand, and with the other he fed Alphard the prepared potion to draw the Horcrux out of him, and into the crystal. He massaged Alphard's throat gently to ensure he swallowed the potion. They all waited and watched with baited breath for something to happen.

There was a loud bang, and a funny smell permeated the air, as a dark writhing shape rose from Alphard's scar, and hovered in the air for a second before snapping into the crystal. The crystal turned a very pale beige colour. Without a second of hesitation the assembled witches and wizards started another incantation; this one to draw the other soul pieces into the crystal to join together in one.

A piercing scream rose in the air, frigid magic swirled around the dome, and a heavy feeling settled over each and every magical being in the area, as the fragments of Voldemort's soul were pulled into the crystal. When they finished, the dome disappeared completely, the air warmed, and the light breeze that blew around them now was devoid of any malevolent magic. The crystal that was now hovering above Sirius' hand was a muddy brown colour, and vaguely hummed with the strength of the evil magic in it.

Callidora and Cedrella broke the circle, stepping forward with purpose and brandishing their wands at the tainted crystal. They had agreed that as the oldest and most powerful of the seven of them, Cedrella and Callidora would be best placed to perform the final step of the ritual – destroying the crystal. They exchanged a conspiring glance and then with a nod, flourished their wands and shouted " _Purificent_!" With a loud crack, the crystal split into tiny pieces and crumbled away to nothing.

Sirius clutched Alphard close to him, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief when the crystal was destroyed. Remus' sigh echoed his, as the stench of dark magic finally dissipated, and the smells of early summer filtered into the circle of the sarsen stones.

The magically, and emotionally, exhausted witches and wizards headed back inside as soon as the ritual was finished, and they had cleared up. The guests immediately headed home, jubilated to have gotten rid of Voldemort so decisively.

 **12** **th** **June 1982  
10pm  
Black Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire**

The last week had been hectic for the inhabitants of Black Manor. Whilst they had informed the rest of their family of the ultimate destruction of Voldemort, the wider Wizarding World had been left to their previous assumption that Voldemort was dead and gone, considering telling them that he hadn't been and now was, would just result in mass panic and doubt.

When Regulus finally got a chance to go visit Narcissa properly, he took it, wanting to get away from the steadily building unresolved sexual tension between Sirius, and the werewolf. Said werewolf found himself sitting in the library by himself that evening. Alphard had been put to bed a few hours ago, and Sirius had mumbled something incomprehensible, and consequently disappeared for the last 3 and a half hours.

Remus had been reading for most of that time, trying to convince himself to admit the truth to Sirius – he only had six months left on his ultimatum from Arcturus Black, and he didn't really want to discover what the penalty would be from the older Black man if he didn't speak up.

Little did he know that Sirius was having almost exactly the same crisis himself.

Sirius had been spending his spare time taking apart, and putting back together, his bike. He was determined to take his mind off the dilemma Callidora had presented him with. She had insisted to him that Remus felt the same as he did, but Sirius still doubted it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to risk his friendship with Remus in any case. The other part of him knew that Callidora would do something incredibly sneaky, and Slytherin, to let Remus know of his feelings if he hadn't told him himself by Christmas.

Sirius was shocked out of his reverie when Remus burst into the garage, panting slightly and looking slightly harried. Sirius jumped to his feet in alarm, "Moony! Is everything okay?"

Remus waved a hand at him, "Everything's fine. All good. Nothing's wrong."

"Right…" Sirius narrowed his eyes at his best friend, "What's up then? Why'd you bust in here like the house was on fire?"

"I- er- you see…" Remus trailed off, his eyes skipping away from Sirius nervously. Now that he was standing in front of Sirius, his motivation and sudden burst of Gryffindor bravery had left him.

"Spit it out, mate."

"I'm- I…" Remus winced, muttered fuck to himself, then finally looked up at Sirius determinedly, "I love you, Sirius." Remus closed his eyes as he said, not able to look Sirius directly in the eyes.

"You- what- I-" Sirius faltered, unsure that he'd just heard what he'd been wanting to hear for ages. "You love me? Like a friend… or," Sirius swallowed nervously, pushing away the hope choking his throat, "or as more?"

Remus' throat clicked dryly when he first opened his mouth to respond, and he coughed, swallowed and opened his mouth again, a quiet whisper of "As more" leaving him.

Sirius sucked in a shocked breath, and then a sunny grin spread across his face that he couldn't stop. "Remus- Moony. I… can you look at me?" He interrupted himself, ducking to try and catch Remus' eyes. Remus resolutely looked up, swallowing hard at the look on Sirius' face, "I love you too."

"You- you do?" Remus was whispering, unable to keep the reverence from his voice.

"Yeah… for, for a while now."

"I-" Remus looked away nervously for a second, before taking a large step closer and looking back, "Can I kiss you?" Remus reached a tentative hand up, and rested it gently on Sirius' stubbled jaw.

Sirius' eyes widened, and he nodded eagerly, barely able to choke out the "Merlin, yes" before Remus' dry lips were pressed against his in a shy kiss. The shock caught up with Sirius and he hesitated for a moment at the sensation of Remus' lips against his, but when Remus went to pull away at his lack of response, he groaned and pushed into the sensation. One of his large hands came up to clasp Remus' scarred face, the other dropping to the werewolf's waist and pulling him closer with a desperate noise.

Remus moaned urgently into his mouth, opening up when Sirius' tongue ran across his bottom lip. They both fell into the kiss, heatedly making out for a long time; until their lips were swollen, and Sirius had Remus pushed up against one of the garage walls, their legs just as interlocked as their lips had been but a moment ago, and their hips slotted together in such a way that their erections dragged together perfectly.

"We should stop, right now, or I'll end up taking you on the floor beside your bike," Remus groaned thickly. Sirius whimpered, his eyelids fluttering at the thought.

"You can't say that and then not follow through, Moony."

"Pads, Alphard is asleep upstairs," Remus pushed Sirius away gently as he spoke, standing up properly and adjusting his robes, "and do you really want to consummate whatever this is on your dirty garage floor. Also, we really need to talk about this…"

"Mate, did you really just say consummate?"

"Shut the fuck up." Remus pushed Sirius childishly, but Sirius just caught his hand against his chest with a grin and yanked Remus into a sloppy kiss that made them both groan heatedly into each other's mouths.

"I know we need to talk about this, Moony… but right now?" Sirius ground his hips into Remus' suggestively.

Remus swore emphatically, pulling Sirius into a quick kiss. He pulled back, and ran his eyes over Sirius' shorter form, saliva pooling in his mouth as he thought about getting his hands all over Sirius' golden skin and firm muscles. "Fuck it… we can talk about it tomorrow. Right now, I want you spread out on my bed." Sirius groaned in agreement as Remus grabbed his hand and yanked him along out of the garage and through the house to his bedroom.

Remus' door slammed with a pleasing finality behind the two remaining Marauders.

 **1** **st** **September 1991  
12pm  
Hogwarts Express**

As prepared as Alphard was for going to Hogwarts, he had been sitting nervously by himself in an empty compartment since the train left the station. He already missed his two dads desperately, even though he had only seen them an hour ago; Remus, Sirius, and his uncle Regulus had come to see him off from the station, and though they had done their best to embarrass him (and had kind of succeeded), it was still sad to watch them shrink away from him on the station platform as the express left the station.

It had been slightly harrowing, in a way, to see the large personalities that were his fathers – and uncle – shrink into these tiny forms of people that he couldn't see the features on by the time the train turned a corner. They had handed over instructions on how to find the map that had been confiscated from them in the final year at Hogwarts, and had packed James' cloak into Alphard's trunk, with tears in their eyes. Alphard had already briefly considered taking the cloak out and hiding beneath it, but had remembered Sirius' encouragement to speak to people on the train, as it was where he had made his first friend in Alphard's birth father, James.

Whilst Alphard knew all about his birth parents, and missed them in an abstract kind of way, he had grown up with two fathers, and a multitude of supportive family surrounding him, and had wanted for nothing in his life so far. The slight ache in his chest caused by missing his parents, was eased at the remembrance that at least Remus, as the Defence Professor, would be at Hogwarts with him.

The rest of the ache dissipated in a rush when a girl with a mass of bushy curls, buck teeth, and an eager grin pushed open his compartment door, someone was standing behind her, but was obscured by her hair. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." She looked earnestly at Alphard, clearly expecting some kind of answer.

Alphard's eyebrows shot up his forehead, and a grin lifted his lips, "He actually brought that useless thing with him?"

"Excuse me?" She demanded indignantly, but before she could start on what would no doubt be an impressive rant, Neville stepped out from behind her with a grin.

"Dad made me bring it, said mum wouldn't give me my owl if I didn't." Neville came further into the apartment and sat down opposite Alphard with a sigh, "Then of course mum asked me why the hell I'd brought Trevor with me when we got to the platform, but found dad's trick too funny to take him back." Alphard laughed loudly at Neville's explanation, but stopped abruptly when the girl still standing in the doorway huffed.

"Why did you ask for help, if you clearly don't care about your toad?" She demanded angrily.

Neville sighed slightly, and gestured to the bench beside him, "Please sit down, Hermione. This is Alphard Black" Neville gestured to Alphard, then turned and frowned in contemplation at his friend, "Or is it Black-Lupin, Lupin-Black, just Lupin?"

Alphard chuckled, shook his head at Neville's teasing, and turned to face Hermione. "I'm Alphard Black," He said with a smile, "and you're Hermione…"

"Granger." She supplied with a hesitant smile.

"Nice to meet you, Hermione. Sorry about Neville sounding so careless. We've been friends forever. The toad, Trevor, is actually Neville's dad's toad – he was a present from Neville's grandmother, that Neville's dad hates, so I'm assuming that's why he fobbed Trevor off on Neville." Alphard turned to Neville with a raised eyebrow, and Neville nodded with a long-suffering grin."

Hermione nodded, "I see. You've both known about magic all your lives then?" She looked reluctant to ask, and Alphard could tell that she was wary about knowing – which probably meant that she was a Muggleborn and had already had some kind of run-in with a pureblood arsehole.

"Yeah, we're both pureblood, but we don't give a crap about any of that blood supremacy nonsense." Alphard said firmly, smiling encouragingly at her, "One of my dads' is a half-blood, and his mum was a muggle."

She smiled widely, her nervousness seemingly forgotten as she went into an enthusiastic rant about _Hogwarts: A History_ , which she was horrified to find neither boy had read. By the end of the ride the three were fast friends, and had been joined by both Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy (tentative friends through prolonged exposure thanks to Alphard's parents). There had been a slightly rocky moment when Draco's nose had wrinkled slightly at the revelation of Hermione's name (and obvious parentage), but a glare from Alphard stopped any comments, and even Draco – who was unfortunately still influenced by Lucius Malfoy, though his mother and extended Black family had mellowed out the blood supremacy obsessed Malfoy tendencies – had mellowed out by the time that they were boarding the boats to head towards Hogwarts.

The lead up to the sorting passed quickly, and it wasn't long before they were being lead into the Great Hall by Professor McGonagall. They were quiet exclamations of awe from most of the first years as they were lead down the row between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables to the front of the room where the sorting sat upon its' stool on the raised dais in front of the Head table.

Alphard scanned the Head table quickly, grinning and waving covertly when he saw Remus seated between Professor Trelawney (away from whom he was leaning due to her pungent smell), and a slightly ragged looking Professor that Alphard didn't know the name of. As the first names on Professor McGonagall's list were read out, Hermione leant towards Alphard and quietly asked who he had been waving to.

Alphard pointed towards Remus, despite knowing that his dad could hear what they were saying, and was most likely listening in anyway, he tried to be stealthy. "The Professor with the dark blonde hair and old man glasses is one of my dads." He grinned cheekily when Remus pulled an offended face at the old man comment.

Hermione nodded understandingly, stepping back from Alphard when the latter's name was called, "Black, Alphard!" Alphard grinned and stepped up to the stool, taking a seat and ignoring all of the faces staring up at him, waiting with baited breath to see if the newest member of the Black family (and the first to be sorted since 1972) would be in Gryffindor like his father, or Slytherin like the rest of his family.

The sorting hat spent a while deliberating but finally the rip that formed its mouth opened and it shouted its result to the hall.

"SLYTHERIN!"

 _ **A/N: That's all for now folks! This is the first multi-chapter fic that I've finished, and it feels pretty awesome :D Let me know what you thought, I really hope everyone enjoyed this.**_


End file.
